Top 10 African countries with lowest unemployment rates in 2025

By Patrick Igwe

The unemployment ratio is projected to dwindle in the coming decade; this is because countries with low unemployment are fighting tooth and nail with means like agricultural modernisation, infrastructure development, and targeted vocational training. Sub-Saharan Africa’s labour force is set to expand by more than 20 million people annually over the next decade.

According to the African Development Bank, in a continent often characterised by economic challenges and job scarcity, some African nations are defying the odds with remarkably low unemployment rates in 2025. While these figures may not always tell the full story, they offer an interesting glimpse into how certain countries are sustaining employment and economic activity. Below are the top 10 countries with the lowest unemployment rates in Africa:

1. Niger – 0.4%

Niger leads Africa with the lowest unemployment rate in 2025, an impressive 0.4%. This achievement is largely tied to its agriculture-driven economy, where a majority of the population engages in subsistence and small-scale farming. Oil production has also created jobs in the energy and logistics sector. Though formal job opportunities remain limited, almost everyone participates in some form of income-generating activity.

2. Burundi – 0.93%

Burundi’s economy is heavily anchored in agriculture, with tea and coffee production being major contributors. The country’s low unemployment rate reflects a labour force that, while largely informal, remains consistently engaged in farming and trade.

3. Chad – 1.1%

Chad maintains its position as one of Africa’s lowest-unemployment nations thanks to its reliance on livestock herding, agriculture, and oil production. These sectors absorb a large portion of the working population, leaving only a small percentage officially unemployed.

4. Benin – 1.9%

Benin’s thriving trade sector, boosted by its role as a key port access point for neighbouring landlocked countries, helps sustain its low unemployment rate. Agriculture and small-scale manufacturing also contribute to job creation.

5. Seychelles – 2.0%

The island nation of Seychelles stands out for combining low unemployment with one of the highest GDP per capita figures in Africa. Tourism, fisheries, and financial services keep a large share of its workforce productively engaged.

6. Côte d’Ivoire – 2.3%

Côte d’Ivoire’s diversified economy, spanning cocoa production, mining, and a growing manufacturing industry, supports a steady stream of jobs. Yet the country is a major exporter of coffee and the world’s largest cocoa producer. Ongoing infrastructure projects have also helped provide employment for thousands. Abidjan’s urban economy flourishes and grows on its construction, banking, telecommunications, and logistics sectors. Major infrastructure projects and regional trade help create jobs in transportation, warehousing and construction.

7. Guinea-Bissau – 2.6%

Guinea-Bissau’s economy leans heavily on cashew exports and fishing. While formal sector jobs remain scarce, the widespread availability of informal work helps keep official unemployment figures low.

8. Liberia – 2.9%

Liberia’s economy benefits from agriculture, forestry, and mining. The country’s informal trade networks, particularly in rural areas, ensure a large proportion of its population remains economically active.

9. Sierra Leone – 3.1%

Mining, fishing, and agriculture form the backbone of Sierra Leone’s employment landscape. With ongoing investments in these sectors, the country continues to maintain one of the lowest unemployment rates on the continent.

10. Ethiopia – 3.5%

Ethiopia rounds out the top ten with a growing industrial base fuelled by government-led investments in manufacturing and infrastructure. Industrial parks and new transport projects have helped generate jobs, particularly for its young population.

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