Labour force - Intelpoint

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India and China alone represent about 40% of the world’s total labour force

China (773M) and India (607M) together make up for about 40% of the world’s total labour force.
Nigeria ranks 5th globally with 113 million workers, the largest in Africa and only African country in the top 10.
Asia dominates, accounting for over 47% of global workers, highlighting the region’s population and production strength.
The U.S.A. (174M) ranks third, representing just about 5% of global labour but producing almost a quarter of global GDP, proving productivity, not size, drives wealth.

West Africa's unemployment varies, with stability in Cape Verde, instability elsewhere

Cabo Verde maintained relatively stable unemployment rates, averaging around 13% from 1991 to 2015.
Nigeria's unemployment rate climbed to 5.742% in 2020, marking an increase compared to previous years.
Burkina Faso saw a sharp rise in unemployment, reaching 5.389% in 2022, the highest in its recorded history.
Niger experienced extreme unemployment fluctuations, with a peak of 3.1% in 2005 and a drastic drop to 0.316% in 2011.
Ghana experienced its highest unemployment rate of 10.456% in 2000.

The 2023 total labour force in Africa

Africa's labour force continues to grow significantly, with several countries exceeding 10 million workers in 2023.
South Africa, despite its developed economy, has a labour force of 27 million, ranking below Tanzania and Egypt.
Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have the largest labour forces in Africa.
East Africa remains a major hub, with Kenya and Uganda featuring prominently in the top ten.

Nigeria accounted for 2% of the global labour force

As of 2023, the global labour force has expanded to an estimated 3.63 billion, driven by population booms in key regions. China and India lead with a combined 1.37 billion people 15+ active in the workforce. Nigeria ranks 7th with 76 million, following the US, Indonesia, Brazil, and Pakistan.

Africa's labour force and working-age population from 2010 to 2019

The African Union Report on Labour Migration Statistics in Africa (Third Edition) indicates that Africa's labour force increased from 402.8 million in 2010 to an estimated 511.5 million in 2019. Here are Africa's labour force and working-age population from 2010 to 2019.