Contact Contacts
Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Ethiopia

Self-employed in Ethiopia in 2025 — 84.3%. Ranked 11 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 5.8 pp.

2025 84.3% −0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank 11of 182
Period maximum 91.2%2005
Period minimum 84.3%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Ethiopia, 1991–2025848688909219911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 90.1%1992: 90.4%1993: 90.5%1994: 90.5%1995: 90.5%1996: 90.4%1997: 90.3%1998: 90.3%1999: 90.3%2000: 90.5%2001: 90.6%2002: 90.7%2003: 91%2004: 91.1%2005: 91.2%2006: 90.9%2007: 90.6%2008: 90.2%2009: 89.8%2010: 89.4%2011: 89%2012: 88.6%2013: 88.2%2014: 87.7%2015: 87.2%2016: 86.7%2017: 86.2%2018: 85.8%2019: 85.4%2020: 85.9%2021: 85.5%2022: 85.2%2023: 84.9%2024: 84.6%2025: 84.3%
Change over the period: −5.8 pp Annual average: -0.17 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Ethiopia

Ethiopia 84.3%
World 46.4%
Sub-Saharan Africa 77.7%
Eastern Africa computed 78.1%
Low-income countries computed 78.5%
Self-employed — Ethiopia, by year Ethiopia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 84.3 −0.3 pp
2024 84.6 −0.3 pp
2023 84.9 −0.3 pp
2022 85.2 −0.3 pp
2021 85.5 −0.4 pp
2020 85.9 +0.5 pp
2019 85.4 −0.4 pp
2018 85.8 −0.4 pp
2017 86.2 −0.5 pp
2016 86.7 −0.5 pp
2015 87.2 −0.5 pp
2014 87.7 −0.5 pp
2013 88.2 −0.4 pp
2012 88.6 −0.4 pp
2011 89 −0.4 pp
2010 89.4 −0.4 pp
2009 89.8 −0.4 pp
2008 90.2 −0.4 pp
2007 90.6 −0.3 pp
2006 90.9 −0.3 pp
2005 91.2 +0.1 pp
2004 91.1 +0.1 pp
2003 91 +0.3 pp
2002 90.7 +0.1 pp
2001 90.6 +0.1 pp
2000 90.5 +0.2 pp
1999 90.3 −0 pp
1998 90.3 +0 pp
1997 90.3 −0.1 pp
1996 90.4 −0.1 pp
1995 90.5 −0 pp
1994 90.5 +0.1 pp
1993 90.5 +0.1 pp
1992 90.4 +0.3 pp
1991 90.1 —

Eastern Africa, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

MG Madagascar 88.3 TZ Tanzania 85.3 MZ Mozambique 85.3 BI Burundi 84.9 ET Ethiopia 84.3 UG Uganda 80.5 ZM Zambia 71.7 ZW Zimbabwe 70.8 KE Kenya 64.8 MW Malawi 61.3 KM Comoros 57.9 ER Eritrea 52.4 SO Somalia 52.2 DJ Djibouti 51.1 RW Rwanda 40.4 MU Mauritius 17.8
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The share of total employment that is self-employed: employers, own-account workers, members of producers cooperatives and contributing family workers. High values in low-income countries reflect not developed entrepreneurship but the absence of wage jobs and informal work in agriculture and small-scale trade.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.

Other indicators for Ethiopia

Labor Vulnerable employment

The share of own-account and contributing family workers — with no contract, insurance or guarantees.

Ethiopia by year Labor Employment-to-population ratio

The share of the population aged 15 and over that actually works.

Ethiopia by year Business New business density

How many new companies are registered per 1,000 people of working age.

Ethiopia by year Labor Employment in agriculture

The share of workers employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing.

Ethiopia by year
All indicators for Ethiopia