Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) was 69.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Africa Western and Central, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 69.9% for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Africa Western and Central peaked at 79.2% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 69.9%, in 2025.
Africa Western and Central ranks 10th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 79.2% | — |
| 1992 | 78.9% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 78.8% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 78.7% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 78.4% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 78.2% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 78.0% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 78.0% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 77.8% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 77.5% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 77.3% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 77.1% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 76.6% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 76.2% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 75.9% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 75.5% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 75.2% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 74.9% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 74.6% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 74.1% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 73.7% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 73.5% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 73.2% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 72.9% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 72.6% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 72.3% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 71.9% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 71.4% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 70.9% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 71.8% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 71.0% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 70.5% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 70.3% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 70.1% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 69.9% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 78.5% | 77.8% | 79.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 76.1% | 74.6% | 77.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 72.7% | 70.9% | 74.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.6% | 69.9% | 71.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 7 Burundi 83.7% compare
- 8 Tanzania, United Republic of 83.7% compare
- 9 Afghanistan 81.8% compare
- 10 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 81.5% compare
- 11 Burkina Faso 80.6% compare
- 12 South Sudan 80.3% compare
- 13 Central African Republic 79.4% compare
More work & labour data for Africa Western and Central
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 54.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 77.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 72.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 49.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 52.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.0% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 87.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 67.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 68.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 73.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Africa Western and Central?
- Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Africa Western and Central was 69.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 79.2% in 1991.
- What is the lowest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.9% in 2025.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment)?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 10th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Vulnerable employment is contributing family workers and own-account workers as a percentage of total employment.