Benin Unemployment Rate
Unemployment as % of total labor force SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
Benin's unemployment rate was 1.59% in 2025, ranked 13th globally. This represents a 2.9% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Benin's unemployment rate stood at 1.59% in 2025, a decline of +0.05pp from 2024. Benin ranked 13th globally.
Benin’s unemployment rate has remained exceptionally low over the 35‑year series, falling from 1.64 % in 1991 to a historic trough of 0.69 % in 2002 before rising to an all‑time peak of 2.65 % in 2011, and then moderating to 1.59 % in 2025, which places the country 13th lowest worldwide. The 2025 figure is virtually identical to the rates recorded by Timor‑Leste (1.59 %) and only marginally above Tanzania’s 1.57 % and Viet Nam’s 1.52 %, underscoring Benin’s position among the most fully employed economies in the dataset. The modest increase since the 2011 peak reflects a combination of demographic expansion and structural shifts in the informal sector, yet the rate remains well below the regional average for West Africa. Continued investment in vocational training and diversification of the agrarian base could help sustain the low unemployment level, while any slowdown in these reforms might allow the upward trend to re‑emerge.
Data & projection
| Year | Unemployment Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.59% | −0.05pp | #13 |
| 2024 | 1.64% | −0.00pp | #15 |
| 2023 | 1.64% | −0.04pp | #14 |
| 2022 | 1.69% | −0.15pp | #14 |
| 2021 | 1.83% | +0.32pp | #10 |
| 2020 | 1.52% | +0.30pp | #9 |
| 2019 | 1.21% | −0.21pp | #9 |
| 2018 | 1.43% | −0.27pp | #12 |
| 2017 | 1.69% | −0.14pp | #12 |
| 2016 | 1.83% | −0.05pp | #13 |
| 2015 | 1.89% | −0.07pp | #16 |
| 2014 | 1.95% | −0.25pp | #18 |
| 2013 | 2.20% | −0.26pp | #22 |
| 2012 | 2.46% | −0.19pp | #23 |
| 2011 | 2.65% | +1.61pp | #23 |
Analysis
Benin's unemployment rate was 1.59% in 2025, a decline of −0.05pp from 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Benin's unemployment rate was 1.59% in 2025. Ranked 13th globally. This represents a 2.9% decrease from the previous year.
Benin's unemployment rate peaked at 2.65% in 2011.
The lowest unemployment rate in Benin was 0.69% in 2002.
Benin ranks 13th globally in unemployment rate as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
The unemployment rate of Benin in 2025 was 1.59%. This ranks 13th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_benin_unemployment-rate,
title = {Benin Unemployment Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/benin/unemployment-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}