Niger had the lowest unemployment rate among African countries with a 2025 estimate, at 0.39%.
It was followed by Burundi (0.92%), Chad (1.06%), and Tanzania (1.57%). In total, 13 African countries recorded unemployment rates below 3%, averaging 2.05%. Nigeria's unemployment rate was estimated at 3.06%, placing it just outside this group.
Niger also recorded the continent's steepest decline from its historical peak, with its unemployment rate falling 87.3%, from 3.10% in 2005 to 0.39% in 2025.
The figures are modeled ILO estimates of unemployment as a share of the labour force. Low unemployment rates do not necessarily indicate widespread formal employment, particularly in economies with large informal sectors.
