Unemployment rate in Benin
Benin: Unemployment rate was 1.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Benin, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Benin is 1.6%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.9% on the previous year and down 15.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Benin peaked at 2.6% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 2002.
That places Benin 174th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.3% | 0.9% | 1.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.8% | 1.0% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More work & labour data for Benin
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 76.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 77.6% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 96.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 75.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 77.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 76.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Benin?
- Unemployment rate in Benin was 1.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 2.6% in 2011.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 2002.
- How does Benin rank for unemployment rate?
- Benin ranks 174th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.