Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Benin
Benin: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 2.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Benin, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Benin stood at 2.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.5% on the previous year and down 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Benin peaked at 5.4% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 2002.
Benin ranks 177th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Benin, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1.7% | — |
| 1992 | 1.7% | -3.5% |
| 1993 | 1.6% | -3.1% |
| 1994 | 1.6% | -4.0% |
| 1995 | 1.4% | -7.5% |
| 1996 | 1.4% | -5.2% |
| 1997 | 1.3% | -8.6% |
| 1998 | 1.2% | -5.7% |
| 1999 | 1.1% | -7.9% |
| 2000 | 1.0% | -8.1% |
| 2001 | 0.9% | -9.4% |
| 2002 | 0.8% | -9.1% |
| 2003 | 1.0% | +19.1% |
| 2004 | 1.1% | +15.3% |
| 2005 | 1.3% | +15.2% |
| 2006 | 1.5% | +11.4% |
| 2007 | 1.6% | +9.5% |
| 2008 | 1.7% | +7.5% |
| 2009 | 1.9% | +10.9% |
| 2010 | 2.1% | +12.4% |
| 2011 | 5.4% | +154.8% |
| 2012 | 4.7% | -13.3% |
| 2013 | 4.0% | -16.3% |
| 2014 | 3.6% | -8.8% |
| 2015 | 3.4% | -5.3% |
| 2016 | 3.2% | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 3.0% | -7.9% |
| 2018 | 2.6% | -12.1% |
| 2019 | 2.3% | -12.2% |
| 2020 | 3.0% | +28.6% |
| 2021 | 3.2% | +9.5% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | -3.5% |
| 2023 | 3.1% | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 3.1% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 2.9% | -6.5% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 2.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.1%, 29% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Benin's 2.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8.8%, 33% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Benin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +154.8% | 2.1% | 5.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.3% | 0.8% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4% | 2.1% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.1% | 2.9% | 3.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Benin
- 174 Timor-Leste 3.7% compare
- 175 Senegal 3.6% compare
- 176 Togo 3.4% compare
- 178 Guinea-Bissau 2.8% compare
- 179 Solomon Islands 2.8% compare
- 180 Lao People's Democratic Republic 2.4% compare
More work & labour data for Benin
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4203 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.395 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4457 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.3247 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.72 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 15,661 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 8,269 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 19,967 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 19,620 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 39,588 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Benin?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Benin was 2.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 5.4% in 2011.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 2002.
- How does Benin rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Benin ranks 177th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.