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.
Unemployment rate in Uganda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.4% | — |
| 1992 | 3.6% | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 3.5% | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 3.5% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 3.2% | -7.7% |
| 1996 | 3.2% | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 3.2% | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 3.4% | +6.7% |
| 1999 | 3.5% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 3.5% | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 3.5% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 3.5% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 3.6% | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 2.7% | -25.0% |
| 2005 | 1.9% | -29.6% |
| 2006 | 2.3% | +19.2% |
| 2007 | 2.7% | +17.8% |
| 2008 | 3.0% | +13.8% |
| 2009 | 3.6% | +18.6% |
| 2010 | 3.6% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 3.5% | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 3.6% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 1.9% | -46.2% |
| 2014 | 2.4% | +23.4% |
| 2015 | 2.7% | +13.7% |
| 2016 | 3.0% | +12.0% |
| 2017 | 3.4% | +14.2% |
| 2018 | 3.2% | -5.2% |
| 2019 | 3.1% | -5.9% |
| 2020 | 3.8% | +24.9% |
| 2021 | 3.4% | -10.6% |
| 2022 | 2.9% | -15.5% |
| 2023 | 2.8% | -4.5% |
| 2024 | 2.7% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 2.7% | +0.2% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 2.7% is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.4%, 62% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 2.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.4%, 50% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
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
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0408 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0266 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.77 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 46,664 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 59,035 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 60,822 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 60,013 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 120,835 1000 No (2100)
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.