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Data / Africa rankings
Africa rankings

Unemployment rate in Africa

Unemployment and youth unemployment in every African country on one comparable method, with each country's own survey figure beside it.

What unemployment rate measures

Share of the labour force without work and looking for it. ILO modelled estimate, so countries compare on one method.

Map: unemployment rate in AfricaDarker means better. Hover over a country for its figure and rank, or click it for the full country page.
  • 0.4 to 2.8
  • 2.8 to 4.4
  • 4.4 to 7.5
  • 7.5 to 14.1
  • 14.1 to 34.2
  • No figure
Niger has the lowest unemployment rate% of labour force, latest year (2022 to 2025). The 15 lowest.
Africa, population-weightedNiger0.4Burundi0.9Chad1.1Benin1.6Tanzania1.6Togo2.0Côte d'Ivoire2.3Guinea-Bissau2.7Senegal2.7Mali2.8Uganda2.8Liberia2.9Ghana3.0Madagascar3.0Nigeria3.1
Africa, population-weightedNiger0.4Burundi0.9Chad1.1Benin1.6Tanzania1.6Togo2.0Côte d'Ivoire2.3Guinea-Bissau2.7Senegal2.7Mali2.8Uganda2.8Liberia2.9Ghana3.0Madagascar3.0Nigeria3.1
View the data as a table
ItemValue
Eswatini34.2
South Africa32.4
Djibouti26.0
Botswana24.5
Gabon20.2
Congo19.9
Namibia19.3
Somalia19.0
Libya18.8
Lesotho16.3
Tunisia15.1
Angola14.1
South Sudan12.4
Cabo Verde11.9
Algeria11.6
Rwanda11.4
Mauritania10.3
Zimbabwe9.3
São Tomé and Príncipe9.1
Morocco9.0
Equatorial Guinea8.3
Sudan7.5
Egypt6.8
Mozambique6.6
Gambia6.5
Central African Republic6.3
Eritrea6.0
Zambia5.9
Mauritius5.6
Kenya5.5
Guinea5.2
Malawi5.1
Democratic Republic of the Congo4.4
Comoros3.8
Cameroon3.6
Burkina Faso3.5
Ethiopia3.3
Sierra Leone3.2
Nigeria3.1
Ghana3.0
Madagascar3.0
Liberia2.9
Mali2.8
Uganda2.8
Guinea-Bissau2.7
Senegal2.7
Côte d'Ivoire2.3
Togo2.0
Benin1.6
Tanzania1.6
Chad1.1
Burundi0.9
Niger0.4

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Where unemployment rate is highest% of labour force, latest year.
Eswatini34.2South Africa32.4Djibouti26.0Botswana24.5Gabon20.2Congo19.9Namibia19.3Somalia19.0Libya18.8Lesotho16.3
Eswatini34.2South Africa32.4Djibouti26.0Botswana24.5Gabon20.2Congo19.9Namibia19.3Somalia19.0Libya18.8Lesotho16.3
View the data as a table
ItemValue
Eswatini34.2
South Africa32.4
Djibouti26.0
Botswana24.5
Gabon20.2
Congo19.9
Namibia19.3
Somalia19.0
Libya18.8
Lesotho16.3

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Unemployment in Africa's most populous countries% of the labour force, ILO modelled estimate.
051015201020132016201920222025Nigeria 3.1Ethiopia 3.3Egypt 6.8Democratic Republic of th…Tanzania 1.6
NigeriaEthiopiaEgyptDemocratic Republic of the CongoTanzania05101520102014201820222026
View the data as a table
PeriodNigeriaEthiopiaEgyptDemocratic Republic of the CongoTanzania
20103.72.38.84.13.0
20113.82.311.94.33.5
20123.82.312.64.53.2
20133.72.313.24.52.9
20143.92.413.14.42.1
20154.12.413.14.42.0
20164.52.612.54.51.9
20174.82.711.84.61.9
20185.12.89.94.61.8
20195.22.97.94.61.7
20205.74.08.05.41.8
20215.43.97.45.31.9
20223.83.46.64.51.6
20233.13.46.84.51.6
20243.13.46.84.41.6
20253.13.36.84.41.6
2026Not publishedNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedNot published

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Unemployment by region% of labour force, population-weighted, latest year.
West Africa3.0East Africa4.9Central Africa6.5North Africa8.8Southern Africa31.1
West Africa3.0East Africa4.9Central Africa6.5North Africa8.8Southern Africa31.1
View the data as a table
ItemValue
Southern Africa31.1
North Africa8.8
Central Africa6.5
East Africa4.9
West Africa3.0

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Unemployment in every African countryClick a heading to sort, or a country for its page. Filter by region.

Showing 54 of 54

Rank
39AlgeriaNorth Africa11.6202529.411.71.45,997
42AngolaCentral Africa14.1202527.210.420.23,588
4BeninWest Africa1.620252.91.71.11,661
50BotswanaSouthern Africa24.5202546.024.42.77,802
18Burkina FasoWest Africa3.520256.47.1-0.61,150
2BurundiEast Africa0.920251.71.034.1469
40Cabo VerdeWest Africa11.9202528.411.32.35,961
19CameroonCentral Africa3.620256.63.33.41,980
28Central African RepublicCentral Africa6.3202510.1Not published1.0841
3ChadCentral Africa1.120251.53.1-3.91,158
20ComorosEast Africa3.820258.84.43.31,768
48CongoCentral Africa19.9202540.510.02.42,378
7Côte d'IvoireWest Africa2.320254.02.30.13,037
21Democratic Republic of the CongoCentral Africa4.420257.91.52.9872
51DjiboutiEast Africa26.0202576.838.8-0.34,251
31EgyptNorth Africa6.8202518.35.914.13,379
33Equatorial GuineaCentral Africa8.3202515.76.52.97,850
27EritreaEast Africa6.0202510.2Not publishedNot publishedNot published
53EswatiniSouthern Africa34.2202554.328.72.64,148
17EthiopiaEast Africa3.320255.43.913.21,142
49GabonCentral Africa20.2202536.317.41.89,491
29GambiaWest Africa6.5202510.97.111.6974
13GhanaWest Africa3.020255.83.214.23,271
23GuineaWest Africa5.220257.05.03.62,675
8Guinea-BissauWest Africa2.720252.82.70.91,315
24KenyaEast Africa5.5202515.35.64.12,548
44LesothoSouthern Africa16.3202524.718.74.31,170
12LiberiaWest Africa2.920252.35.98.3910
45LibyaNorth Africa18.8202550.119.01.85,998
14MadagascarEast Africa3.020255.33.28.1619
22MalawiEast Africa5.120257.015.428.4627
10MaliWest Africa2.820253.94.53.31,238
37MauritaniaWest Africa10.3202522.910.41.62,723
25MauritiusEast Africa5.6202517.45.83.712,935
34MoroccoNorth Africa9.0202521.911.80.74,878
30MozambiqueEast Africa6.6202511.66.84.4659
47NamibiaSouthern Africa19.3202538.135.23.54,924
1NigerWest Africa0.420250.50.4-4.4730
15NigeriaWest Africa3.120255.33.923.01,223
38RwandaEast Africa11.4202516.45.45.91,156
35São Tomé and PríncipeCentral Africa9.120258.88.011.14,084
9SenegalWest Africa2.720253.64.61.51,934
54SeychellesEast AfricaNot publishedNot publishedNot published2.60.319,007
16Sierra LeoneWest Africa3.220253.71.67.5874
46SomaliaEast Africa19.0202534.211.1Not published780
52South AfricaSouthern Africa32.4202559.929.63.26,769
41South SudanEast Africa12.4202318.512.391.4454
32SudanNorth Africa7.5202212.07.5138.8724
5TanzaniaEast Africa1.620252.42.83.31,270
6TogoWest Africa2.020253.42.00.41,371
43TunisiaNorth Africa15.1202538.115.15.24,637
11UgandaEast Africa2.820254.27.53.61,384
26ZambiaEast Africa5.9202510.55.713.91,310
36ZimbabweEast Africa9.3202515.69.2104.73,358

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Youth unemployment

Young people are usually the first to lose out when jobs are short. In most African countries the youth rate is about double the overall rate.

Youth unemployment is highest in Djibouti% of people aged 15 to 24 in the labour force, ILO modelled estimate. The 15 highest.
Djibouti76.8South Africa59.9Eswatini54.3Libya50.1Botswana46.0Congo40.5Namibia38.1Tunisia38.1Gabon36.3Somalia34.2Algeria29.4Cabo Verde28.4Angola27.2Lesotho24.7Mauritania22.9
Djibouti76.8South Africa59.9Eswatini54.3Libya50.1Botswana46.0Congo40.5Namibia38.1Tunisia38.1Gabon36.3Somalia34.2Algeria29.4Cabo Verde28.4Angola27.2Lesotho24.7Mauritania22.9
View the data as a table
ItemValue
Djibouti76.8
South Africa59.9
Eswatini54.3
Libya50.1
Botswana46.0
Congo40.5
Namibia38.1
Tunisia38.1
Gabon36.3
Somalia34.2
Algeria29.4
Cabo Verde28.4
Angola27.2
Lesotho24.7
Mauritania22.9
Morocco21.9
South Sudan18.5
Egypt18.3
Mauritius17.4
Rwanda16.4
Equatorial Guinea15.7
Zimbabwe15.6
Kenya15.3
Sudan12.0
Mozambique11.6
Gambia10.9
Zambia10.5
Eritrea10.2
Central African Republic10.1
Comoros8.8
São Tomé and Príncipe8.8
Democratic Republic of the Congo7.9
Guinea7.0
Malawi7.0
Cameroon6.6
Burkina Faso6.4
Ghana5.8
Ethiopia5.4
Madagascar5.3
Nigeria5.3
Uganda4.2
Côte d'Ivoire4.0
Mali3.9
Sierra Leone3.7
Senegal3.6
Togo3.4
Benin2.9
Guinea-Bissau2.8
Tanzania2.4
Liberia2.3
Burundi1.7
Chad1.5
Niger0.5

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (ILO modelled estimate). Last checked 24 October 2026.

Why your country's own figure may differ

Each statistics office runs its own labour force survey, with its own definition of who is working and who is looking. The ILO adjusts every country to one method so they can be compared. We rank on the ILO estimate and show the national figure beside it.

ILO estimate against each country's own survey% of the labour force. Large gaps usually come from how a survey counts informal work and people who have stopped looking.

Showing 51 of 51

NamibiaSouthern Africa19.3202535.2202315.9
DjiboutiEast Africa26.0202538.8202512.8
MalawiEast Africa5.1202515.4202410.3
CongoCentral Africa19.9202510.020129.9
SomaliaEast Africa19.0202511.120227.9
RwandaEast Africa11.420255.420256.0
EswatiniSouthern Africa34.2202528.720255.5
UgandaEast Africa2.820257.520244.7
AngolaCentral Africa14.1202510.420253.7
Burkina FasoWest Africa3.520257.120253.6
LiberiaWest Africa2.920255.920173.0
Democratic Republic of the CongoCentral Africa4.420251.520202.9
GabonCentral Africa20.2202517.420242.8
MoroccoNorth Africa9.0202511.820222.8
South AfricaSouthern Africa32.4202529.620252.8
LesothoSouthern Africa16.3202518.720242.4
ChadCentral Africa1.120253.120222.0
SenegalWest Africa2.720254.620251.9
Equatorial GuineaCentral Africa8.320256.520231.8
MaliWest Africa2.820254.520241.7
Sierra LeoneWest Africa3.220251.620181.6
TanzaniaEast Africa1.620252.820251.2
São Tomé and PríncipeCentral Africa9.120258.020171.1
EgyptNorth Africa6.820255.920240.9
NigeriaWest Africa3.120253.920250.8
Cabo VerdeWest Africa11.9202511.320190.6
ComorosEast Africa3.820254.420210.6
EthiopiaEast Africa3.320253.920210.6
GambiaWest Africa6.520257.120250.6
CameroonCentral Africa3.620253.320210.3
GhanaWest Africa3.020253.220250.2
GuineaWest Africa5.220255.020190.2
LibyaNorth Africa18.8202519.020120.2
MadagascarEast Africa3.020253.220220.2
MauritiusEast Africa5.620255.820240.2
MozambiqueEast Africa6.620256.820220.2
ZambiaEast Africa5.920255.720240.2
AlgeriaNorth Africa11.6202511.720170.1
BeninWest Africa1.620251.720220.1
BotswanaSouthern Africa24.5202524.420240.1
BurundiEast Africa0.920251.020200.1
KenyaEast Africa5.520255.620210.1
MauritaniaWest Africa10.3202510.420190.1
South SudanEast Africa12.4202312.320080.1
ZimbabweEast Africa9.320259.220250.1
Côte d'IvoireWest Africa2.320252.320220.0
Guinea-BissauWest Africa2.720252.720220.0
NigerWest Africa0.420250.420220.0
SudanNorth Africa7.520227.520220.0
TogoWest Africa2.020252.020220.0
TunisiaNorth Africa15.1202515.120230.0

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT, unemployment rate by sex and age (UNE_DEAP_SEX_AGE_RT_A); World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.

No published figure: Seychelles.

Related

Related reading

Method and source

Share of the labour force without work and looking for it. ILO modelled estimate, so countries compare on one method. We show each country's latest published year, so years differ; the table gives the year for each. Africa and regional figures are weighted by population. We do not estimate missing figures. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators.

Frequently asked questions

Which African country has the lowest unemployment rate?

Niger, at 0.4% in 2025. Then Burundi (0.9%), Chad (1.1%), Benin (1.6%) and Tanzania (1.6%). Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators.

Which African country has the highest unemployment rate?

Eswatini, at 34.2% in 2025, followed by South Africa (32.4%), Djibouti (26%) and Botswana (24.5%).

What is the unemployment rate in Nigeria?

3.1% in 2025, 15th of 53 in Africa. More on Nigeria: https://pollsafrica.com/countries/nigeria#jobs

What is the unemployment rate in Ethiopia?

3.3% in 2025, 17th of 53 in Africa. More on Ethiopia: https://pollsafrica.com/countries/ethiopia#jobs

What is the unemployment rate in Egypt?

6.8% in 2025, 31st of 53 in Africa. More on Egypt: https://pollsafrica.com/countries/egypt#jobs