Unemployment rate in Uganda
Uganda: Unemployment rate was 2.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Uganda, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Uganda recorded 2.7% for unemployment rate in 2025.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Uganda peaked at 3.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 2005.
That places Uganda 156th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.4% | 3.2% | 3.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.0% | 1.9% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.0% | 1.9% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.1% | 2.7% | 3.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
More work & labour data for Uganda
- 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+) 80.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 84.6% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 89.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 75.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 81.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 85.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 76.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Uganda?
- Unemployment rate in Uganda was 2.7% 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 Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 3.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 2005.
- How does Uganda rank for unemployment rate?
- Uganda ranks 156th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uganda 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.