Unemployment rate in Cameroon
Cameroon: Unemployment rate was 3.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Cameroon, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Cameroon stood at 3.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Cameroon peaked at 9.2% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 3.1%, in 2007.
That places Cameroon 126th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.4% | 7.6% | 9.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.1% | 3.1% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.7% | 3.5% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.7% | 3.6% | 4.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More work & labour data for Cameroon
- 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 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 65.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 73.9% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 76.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 56.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 65.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 74.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 57.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Cameroon?
- Unemployment rate in Cameroon was 3.6% 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 Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 9.2% in 1993.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.1% in 2007.
- How does Cameroon rank for unemployment rate?
- Cameroon ranks 126th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon 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.
Download this data
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.