Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Sub-Saharan Africa

Self-employed in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2025 — 77.7%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 3.2 pp.

2025 77.7% −0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 81.2%1995
Period minimum 77.3%2019

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Sub-Saharan Africa, 1991–202577787980818219911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 80.8%1992: 80.9%1993: 80.9%1994: 81.1%1995: 81.2%1996: 81.1%1997: 81%1998: 80.9%1999: 80.8%2000: 80.6%2001: 80.6%2002: 80.4%2003: 80.3%2004: 80.1%2005: 80%2006: 79.8%2007: 79.5%2008: 79.2%2009: 79.1%2010: 79%2011: 78.8%2012: 78.6%2013: 78.3%2014: 78%2015: 77.7%2016: 77.6%2017: 77.4%2018: 77.3%2019: 77.3%2020: 78.2%2021: 77.9%2022: 77.6%2023: 78%2024: 77.8%2025: 77.7%
Change over the period: −3.2 pp Annual average: -0.09 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa 77.7%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 77.7 −0.2 pp
2024 77.8 −0.2 pp
2023 78 +0.4 pp
2022 77.6 −0.3 pp
2021 77.9 −0.3 pp
2020 78.2 +1 pp
2019 77.3 −0 pp
2018 77.3 −0.2 pp
2017 77.4 −0.1 pp
2016 77.6 −0.1 pp
2015 77.7 −0.3 pp
2014 78 −0.3 pp
2013 78.3 −0.3 pp
2012 78.6 −0.2 pp
2011 78.8 −0.2 pp
2010 79 −0.1 pp
2009 79.1 −0.1 pp
2008 79.2 −0.2 pp
2007 79.5 −0.3 pp
2006 79.8 −0.2 pp
2005 80 −0.1 pp
2004 80.1 −0.2 pp
2003 80.3 −0.1 pp
2002 80.4 −0.1 pp
2001 80.6 −0.1 pp
2000 80.6 −0.1 pp
1999 80.8 −0.1 pp
1998 80.9 −0.1 pp
1997 81 −0.1 pp
1996 81.1 −0.1 pp
1995 81.2 +0.1 pp
1994 81.1 +0.2 pp
1993 80.9 +0 pp
1992 80.9 +0.1 pp
1991 80.8

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.