Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Ghana
Ghana: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 5.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Ghana, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Ghana is 5.8%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 9.0% on the previous year and down 59.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Ghana peaked at 16.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 4.7%, in 2013.
That places Ghana 156th out of 187 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, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Ghana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.6% | — |
| 1992 | 7.5% | +34.8% |
| 1993 | 8.3% | +11.0% |
| 1994 | 9.3% | +12.0% |
| 1995 | 10.2% | +9.7% |
| 1996 | 11.1% | +9.2% |
| 1997 | 12.0% | +7.8% |
| 1998 | 12.9% | +7.4% |
| 1999 | 15.9% | +23.1% |
| 2000 | 16.4% | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 15.4% | -6.4% |
| 2002 | 14.3% | -7.3% |
| 2003 | 13.1% | -8.5% |
| 2004 | 11.9% | -9.2% |
| 2005 | 10.7% | -10.0% |
| 2006 | 9.5% | -11.0% |
| 2007 | 10.0% | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 10.3% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 10.8% | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 11.1% | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 8.8% | -20.4% |
| 2012 | 6.7% | -24.3% |
| 2013 | 4.7% | -29.2% |
| 2014 | 9.3% | +97.3% |
| 2015 | 14.2% | +53.0% |
| 2016 | 10.6% | -25.4% |
| 2017 | 6.4% | -39.9% |
| 2018 | 6.1% | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 5.9% | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 6.3% | +7.6% |
| 2021 | 6.0% | -5.3% |
| 2022 | 5.4% | -9.7% |
| 2023 | 5.4% | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 5.3% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 5.8% | +9.0% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 5.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.1%, 58% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 5.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8.8%, 66% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Ghana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +97.3% | 4.7% | 9.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.3% | 5.6% | 15.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 12.2% | 9.5% | 16.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.4% | 4.7% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.7% | 5.3% | 6.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More work & labour data for Ghana
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.1512 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1464 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.1562 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.2734 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.99 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 37,518 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 13,752 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 34,429 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 33,119 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 67,548 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Ghana?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Ghana was 5.8% 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 16.4% in 2000.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.7% in 2013.
- How does Ghana rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Ghana ranks 156th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 59.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana 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.