According to the United Nations, the world's population has hit a whopping 8 billion, and African nations, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa are major drivers of this unprecedented growth.
Outrightly, more people means more jobs are needed. But the challenge is that Africa's population is growing faster than jobs are being created. Well, this is not just an African problem.
According to the International Labour Organisation, the global outlook for labour markets deteriorated significantly during 2022. Emerging geopolitical tensions, the Ukraine conflict, an uneven recovery from the pandemic, and ongoing bottlenecks in supply chains have created the conditions for a stagflationary episode.
Most countries have not yet returned to the levels of employment and hours worked seen at the end of 2019, before the outbreak of the COVID-19 health crisis.
Per statistics derived from the agency, some African countries have made incredible strides in addressing employment challenges reflecting their determination to chart a course towards sustainable economic growth and social progress.
The agency says these statistics are essential for tracking progress towards various national and international policy goals.
According to the International Labour Organisation, below are 10 African countries with the highest employment rate.
| Rank | Country | Emploment to population ratio | Labour dependency ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madagascar | 84.1% | 0.35 |
| 2 | Tanzania | 80.3% | 1.20 |
| 3 | Burundi | 78.9% | 1.34 |
| 4 | Ethiopia | 77.3% | 1.14 |
| 5 | Mozambique | 75.4% | 1.35 |
| 6 | Liberia | 73.8% | 1.28 |
| 7 | Niger | 73.1% | 1.68 |
| 8 | Eritrea | 72.5% | 1.27 |
| 9 | Kenya | 70.3% | 1.29 |
| 10 | Angola | 69.0% | 1.63 |