Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) - Country Ranking - Africa

Definition: Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in December 2019.

See also: Thematic map, Time series comparison

Find indicator:
Rank Country Value Year
1 Equatorial Guinea 28.05 1983
2 South Africa 27.74 2020
3 Botswana 24.22 2020
4 Lesotho 22.58 2019
5 Djibouti 22.07 2017
6 Namibia 21.13 2018
7 Eswatini 21.03 2016
8 Somalia 18.42 2019
9 Zimbabwe 16.04 2019
10 Libya 15.88 2012
11 Rwanda 14.67 2020
12 Gabon 14.42 2010
13 Sudan 12.37 2011
14 Tunisia 12.27 2019
15 Zambia 12.07 2019
16 Liberia 11.63 2017
17 São Tomé and Principe 11.05 2006
18 Algeria 10.77 2017
19 Cabo Verde 10.66 2019
20 Angola 9.96 2014
21 Mauritania 9.66 2017
22 Congo 9.40 2012
23 Nigeria 9.25 2019
24 The Gambia 8.88 2018
25 Morocco 8.81 2016
26 Uganda 8.68 2017
27 Niger 7.76 2017
28 Mauritius 7.56 2020
29 Comoros 6.68 2014
30 Egypt 5.97 2020
31 Dem. Rep. Congo 5.32 2012
32 Seychelles 5.09 2020
33 Guinea 4.98 2019
34 Kenya 4.78 2019
35 Burkina Faso 4.75 2018
36 Togo 4.73 2017
37 Sierra Leone 4.27 2018
38 Ghana 4.07 2017
39 Guinea-Bissau 3.61 2018
40 Mozambique 3.15 2015
41 Cameroon 3.06 2014
42 Côte d'Ivoire 2.86 2017
43 Senegal 2.75 2019
44 Burundi 2.05 2014
45 Madagascar 1.77 2015
46 Mali 1.67 2018
47 Ethiopia 1.65 2013
48 Tanzania 1.57 2014
49 Chad 1.42 2018
50 Benin 1.24 2018
51 Malawi 0.99 2020

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Development Relevance: Paradoxically, low unemployment rates can disguise substantial poverty in a country, while high unemployment rates can occur in countries with a high level of economic development and low rates of poverty. In countries without unemployment or welfare benefits people eke out a living in vulnerable employment. In countries with well-developed safety nets workers can afford to wait for suitable or desirable jobs. But high and sustained unemployment indicates serious inefficiencies in resource allocation. Youth unemployment is an important policy issue for many economies. Young men and women today face increasing uncertainty in their hopes of undergoing a satisfactory transition in the labour market, and this uncertainty and disillusionment can, in turn, have damaging effects on individuals, communities, economies and society at large. Unemployed or underemployed youth are less able to contribute effectively to national development and have fewer opportunities to exercise their rights as citizens. They have less to spend as consumers, less to invest as savers and often have no "voice" to bring about change in their lives and communities. Widespread youth unemployment and underemployment also prevents companies and countries from innovating and developing competitive advantages based on human capital investment, thus undermining future prospects. Unemployment is a key measure to monitor whether a country is on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. [SDG Indicator 8.5.2]

Limitations and Exceptions: The criteria for people considered to be seeking work, and the treatment of people temporarily laid off or seeking work for the first time, vary across countries. In many cases it is especially difficult to measure employment and unemployment in agriculture. The timing of a survey can maximize the effects of seasonal unemployment in agriculture. And informal sector employment is difficult to quantify where informal activities are not tracked. There may be also persons not currently in the labour market who want to work but do not actively "seek" work because they view job opportunities as limited, or because they have restricted labour mobility, or face discrimination, or structural, social or cultural barriers. The exclusion of people who want to work but are not seeking work (often called the "hidden unemployed" or "discouraged workers") is a criterion that will affect the unemployment count of both women and men. However, women tend to be excluded from the count for various reasons. Women suffer more from discrimination and from structural, social, and cultural barriers that impede them from seeking work. Also, women are often responsible for the care of children and the elderly and for household affairs. They may not be available for work during the short reference period, as they need to make arrangements before starting work. Further, women are considered to be employed when they are working part-time or in temporary jobs, despite the instability of these jobs or their active search for more secure employment.

Statistical Concept and Methodology: The standard definition of unemployed persons is those individuals without work, seeking work in a recent past period, and currently available for work, including people who have lost their jobs or who have voluntarily left work. Persons who did not look for work but have an arrangements for a future job are also counted as unemployed. Some unemployment is unavoidable. At any time some workers are temporarily unemployed between jobs as employers look for the right workers and workers search for better jobs. It is the labour force or the economically active portion of the population that serves as the base for this indicator, not the total population.

Aggregation method: Weighted average

Periodicity: Annual

General Comments: The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.