Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Eastern Africa

Self-employed in Eastern Africa in 2025 — 78.1%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 4 pp.

2025 78.1% −0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 82.7%1995
Period minimum 78.1%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Eastern Africa, 1991–20257880828419911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 82.1%1992: 82.2%1993: 82.2%1994: 82.5%1995: 82.7%1996: 82.4%1997: 82.2%1998: 82.1%1999: 81.9%2000: 81.9%2001: 81.8%2002: 81.8%2003: 81.8%2004: 81.7%2005: 81.7%2006: 81.5%2007: 81.4%2008: 81.2%2009: 81%2010: 80.8%2011: 80.5%2012: 80.4%2013: 80.1%2014: 79.8%2015: 79.4%2016: 79.1%2017: 78.9%2018: 78.7%2019: 78.6%2020: 79.2%2021: 79.1%2022: 78.9%2023: 78.6%2024: 78.3%2025: 78.1%
Change over the period: −4 pp Annual average: -0.12 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Eastern Africa 78.1%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — Eastern Africa, by year Eastern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 78.1 −0.2 pp
2024 78.3 −0.3 pp
2023 78.6 −0.3 pp
2022 78.9 −0.1 pp
2021 79.1 −0.2 pp
2020 79.2 +0.6 pp
2019 78.6 −0.1 pp
2018 78.7 −0.2 pp
2017 78.9 −0.2 pp
2016 79.1 −0.3 pp
2015 79.4 −0.4 pp
2014 79.8 −0.3 pp
2013 80.1 −0.3 pp
2012 80.4 −0.1 pp
2011 80.5 −0.2 pp
2010 80.8 −0.2 pp
2009 81 −0.2 pp
2008 81.2 −0.2 pp
2007 81.4 −0.2 pp
2006 81.5 −0.2 pp
2005 81.7 −0 pp
2004 81.7 −0 pp
2003 81.8 −0 pp
2002 81.8 −0 pp
2001 81.8 −0.1 pp
2000 81.9 −0 pp
1999 81.9 −0.1 pp
1998 82.1 −0.1 pp
1997 82.2 −0.2 pp
1996 82.4 −0.2 pp
1995 82.7 +0.2 pp
1994 82.5 +0.3 pp
1993 82.2 −0 pp
1992 82.2 +0.1 pp
1991 82.1

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.