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.

The continent of Africa has undergone significant changes in their labour force over the years. Nigeria, for instance, saw its labour force skyrocket from 8,861,9376 in 2016 to 110,183,277 in 2023, with a dramatic increase in the country's labour market and also making it the largest on the continent. Similarly, Ethiopia has experienced an ever growing labour market, from 49,112,032 in 2020 to 52,886,553 in 2023.

Africa's total population was estimated at 1,478,973,883 in 2023, with the total labour force reaching 566,202,266. This means that only 38.29% of the population actively participated in the labour market.

Source:

World Bank

Period:

2023
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Employment distribution worldwide in 2022
Key takeaways:
  • The industry sector accounted for the smallest portion of global employment in 2022.
  • Around 50 percent of the worldwide workforce is involved in the service sector.
  • On a global scale, the disparity between the agriculture and industry sectors is slight.
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Distribution of workforce in Nigeria, 2022
Key takeaways:
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  • The services sector is the largest employer of labour.
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Employment distribution in sub-Saharan Africa (2022)
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  • Employment levels in the Industry sector were significantly lower compared to Agriculture and Services.
  • Approximately 37% of employees in sub-Saharan Africa were in the Service industry.
Madagascar leads Africa in female workforce participation rate at 83%
Madagascar, Burundi, and Mozambique lead Africa in female workforce participation, with rates above the global average of 48%. The 2024 estimate ranks Nigeria 30th in Africa, with a female labour force participation rate of 52%.
Madagascar leads Africa with 85% of its working-age population actively participating in the labour force
At least 80% of adults in Madagascar, Tanzania, and Ethiopia who can work are employed or actively seeking jobs. Across Africa, 63% of working-age people are engaged in the workforce. However, in Algeria, Morocco, and Djibouti, participation is below 45%.
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.
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