Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Rwanda
Rwanda: Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) was 14.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Rwanda, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Rwanda stood at 14.6%.
The figure is up 2.3% on the previous year and down 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Rwanda peaked at 22.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 13.5%, in 1997.
Rwanda ranks 78th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 15.5% | — |
| 1992 | 15.2% | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 15.3% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 15.1% | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 14.5% | -4.5% |
| 1996 | 14.0% | -3.3% |
| 1997 | 13.5% | -3.3% |
| 1998 | 13.8% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 14.2% | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 14.4% | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 14.6% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 14.3% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 14.6% | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 14.7% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 14.9% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 14.7% | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 14.7% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 14.7% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 14.9% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 15.0% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 15.1% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 15.1% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 15.2% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 15.4% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 15.4% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 15.4% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 15.5% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 15.7% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 15.4% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 14.7% | -4.9% |
| 2021 | 22.4% | +52.7% |
| 2022 | 21.1% | -6.2% |
| 2023 | 16.4% | -22.3% |
| 2024 | 14.3% | -12.6% |
| 2025 | 14.6% | +2.3% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 14.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 7.2%, 2.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 14.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.0%, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Rwanda changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +52.7% | 14.7% | 22.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.6% | 13.5% | 15.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 14.6% | 14.3% | 14.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.3% | 15.0% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.2% | 14.3% | 22.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 75 Zimbabwe 15.0% compare
- 76 New Zealand 15.0% compare
- 77 Equatorial Guinea 14.7% compare
- 79 Hungary 14.5% compare
- 80 Norway 14.4% compare
- 81 Turkmenistan 14.4% compare
More work & labour data for Rwanda
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.267 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.2752 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2591 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.3518 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.32 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6,483 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 15,403 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 16,639 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 16,140 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 32,779 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Rwanda?
- Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Rwanda was 14.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 22.4% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.5% in 1997.
- How does Rwanda rank for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24)?
- Rwanda ranks 78th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Rwanda data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.