Gabon has topped worker productivity in Africa for 21 of 33 years; Nigeria stays outside top 20

  • Gabon led Africa in GDP per person employed for 21 years, the most of any country, thanks largely to its oil wealth and smaller labour force.
  • Equatorial Guinea was a close second, topping the list for 12 straight years, particularly during its oil boom.
  • Libya never came first but held second place in 18 different years, showing long-term stability in productivity.
  • Algeria and Egypt frequently ranked in the top three but never led.
  • Nigeria, despite being Africa’s most populous country and once its largest economy, never made it into the top 3 and has consistently ranked around 23rd to 26th.
  • The leading countries tend to share a pattern: resource-driven economies with relatively smaller workforces, while lower-ranked ones often struggle.

Over the past three decades, one African country kept coming out on top when it came to how much each worker adds to the economy, and that country was Gabon. Among over 50 nations tracked, Gabon led the continent for 21 different years in GDP per person, driven by its oil sector and a relatively small workforce.

Equatorial Guinea wasn’t far behind, taking the number one spot 12 times, particularly during its early 2000s oil surge. Libya, while never topping the list, claimed second place for 18 years, showing consistent strength before political instability disrupted its trajectory. Algeria and Egypt were also regulars in the top three. But then there’s Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and now its fourth-largest economy. Despite its size, Nigeria never entered the top ranks for worker productivity. Year after year, it sat outside the top 20, reflecting the challenges of a large informal sector, underemployment, and slow structural reform.

In this data, the message is clear: size alone doesn’t drive productivity. The countries that led weren’t always the biggest, but they were the most efficient at turning work into economic value.

Source:

World Bank - World Development Indicators

Period:

1991-2023
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