Ghana Unemployment Rate
Unemployment as % of total labor force SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
Ghana's unemployment rate was 2.98% in 2025, ranked 40th globally. This represents a 5.6% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Ghana's unemployment rate stood at 2.98% in 2025, a rise of +0.16pp from 2024. Ghana ranked 40th globally.
Ghana’s unemployment rate has fallen to 2.98 % in 2025, placing the country 40th globally and matching Poland’s contemporaneous level while remaining marginally below Saudi Arabia’s 3.04 % and Bolivia’s 2.97 %. Over the 35‑year series, the rate declined from an early‑1990s high of 3.49 % to an all‑time peak of 10.46 % in 2000, a spike that reflected the macro‑economic turbulence of the early structural adjustment period. The subsequent trough of 2.17 % in 2013 coincided with a rebound in commodity exports and fiscal consolidation, after which the labor market has steadied near the low‑single‑digit range. The modest rise from the 2013 trough to the 2025 figure suggests that Ghana’s labor market has become more resilient, though any reversal of global demand for its key exports or domestic policy shifts could alter this trajectory. Continued diversification and investment in skills development are likely to sustain the downward pressure on unemployment.
Data & projection
| Year | Unemployment Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.98% | +0.16pp | #40 |
| 2024 | 2.82% | −0.01pp | #37 |
| 2023 | 2.83% | −0.04pp | #34 |
| 2022 | 2.87% | −0.33pp | #32 |
| 2021 | 3.20% | +0.02pp | #30 |
| 2020 | 3.18% | +0.11pp | #32 |
| 2019 | 3.07% | −0.14pp | #37 |
| 2018 | 3.20% | −0.17pp | #38 |
| 2017 | 3.37% | −1.89pp | #39 |
| 2016 | 5.26% | −1.55pp | #86 |
| 2015 | 6.81% | +2.40pp | #100 |
| 2014 | 4.40% | +2.23pp | #60 |
| 2013 | 2.17% | −0.95pp | #21 |
| 2012 | 3.13% | −1.09pp | #29 |
| 2011 | 4.21% | −1.17pp | #58 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Ghana matched the Currency Crisis Pattern pattern in 2023. Historically, 27% of countries showing this pattern (35 out of 128) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Ghana's unemployment rate was 2.98% in 2025. Ranked 40th globally. This represents a 5.6% increase from the previous year.
Ghana's unemployment rate peaked at 10.46% in 2000.
The lowest unemployment rate in Ghana was 2.17% in 2013.
Ghana ranks 40th 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 Ghana in 2025 was 2.98%. This ranks 40th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_ghana_unemployment-rate,
title = {Ghana Unemployment Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/ghana/unemployment-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}