When examining the economic landscape of various African nations, the minimum wage emerges as a critical indicator of income levels and labor standards.
Utilising reliable data from Trading Economics, we've compiled a list of African countries with the lowest minimum wages, ranked from highest to lowest when converted into US dollars.
This perspective offers a clearer understanding of the economic context and the purchasing power of these wages. Let's delve into the data:
Cape Verde
- Minimum Wage: 13,000 CVE/Month
- Dollar Equivalent: $128.90
- Effective from: January 2023
Kenya
- Minimum Wage: 15,120 KES/Month
- Dollar Equivalent: $105.07
- Effective from: May 2023
- Note: Minimum wages can vary across sectors in Kenya.
Egypt
- Minimum Wage: 3,000 EGP/Month
- Dollar Equivalent: $97.06
- Effective from: July 2023
- Note: Minimum wage variations exist based on regions and sectors in Egypt.
Mozambique
- Minimum Wage: 5,800 MZN/Month
- Dollar Equivalent: $90.81
- Effective from: April 2023
- Note: Minimum wages can differ for urban and rural areas in Mozambique.
Nigeria
- Minimum Wage: 30,000 NGN/Month
- Dollar Equivalent: $39.44
- Effective from: January 2023
Angola
- Minimum Wage: 32,181 AOA/Month
- Dollar Equivalent: $38.94
- Effective from: December 2023
South Africa
- Minimum Wage: 25.42 ZAR/Hour (approximately 176 ZAR/Month after calculating working hours)
- Dollar Equivalent: $9.19
- Effective from: March 2023
- Note: The minimum wage in South Africa is set on an hourly basis.
Tunisia
- Minimum Wage: 16.5 TND/Day
- Dollar Equivalent: $5.34
- Effective from: April 2023
- Note: The daily minimum wage applies to various industries in Tunisia.
By presenting the minimum wages in terms of US dollars, we gain valuable insights into the relative standards of living and economic conditions across these African nations.