Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Middle Africa

Self-employed in Middle Africa in 2025 — 80.1%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 3.4 pp.

2025 80.1% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 84.9%1997
Period minimum 80%2015

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Middle Africa, 1991–2025788082848619911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 83.5%1992: 83.8%1993: 84.2%1994: 84.5%1995: 84.7%1996: 84.8%1997: 84.9%1998: 84.8%1999: 84.8%2000: 84.8%2001: 84.7%2002: 84.6%2003: 84.4%2004: 84.1%2005: 83.8%2006: 83.5%2007: 83.1%2008: 82.7%2009: 82.4%2010: 82%2011: 81.8%2012: 81%2013: 80.5%2014: 80%2015: 80%2016: 80%2017: 80.1%2018: 80.1%2019: 80.2%2020: 81.1%2021: 80.6%2022: 80.5%2023: 80.4%2024: 80.3%2025: 80.1%
Change over the period: −3.4 pp Annual average: -0.1 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Middle Africa 80.1%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — Middle Africa, by year Middle Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 80.1 −0.1 pp
2024 80.3 −0.1 pp
2023 80.4 −0.1 pp
2022 80.5 −0.1 pp
2021 80.6 −0.5 pp
2020 81.1 +0.9 pp
2019 80.2 +0.1 pp
2018 80.1 +0 pp
2017 80.1 +0.1 pp
2016 80 +0 pp
2015 80 −0.1 pp
2014 80 −0.5 pp
2013 80.5 −0.5 pp
2012 81 −0.7 pp
2011 81.8 −0.3 pp
2010 82 −0.3 pp
2009 82.4 −0.3 pp
2008 82.7 −0.4 pp
2007 83.1 −0.3 pp
2006 83.5 −0.3 pp
2005 83.8 −0.3 pp
2004 84.1 −0.3 pp
2003 84.4 −0.1 pp
2002 84.6 −0.1 pp
2001 84.7 −0.1 pp
2000 84.8 −0 pp
1999 84.8 −0 pp
1998 84.8 −0 pp
1997 84.9 +0.1 pp
1996 84.8 +0.1 pp
1995 84.7 +0.2 pp
1994 84.5 +0.3 pp
1993 84.2 +0.4 pp
1992 83.8 +0.3 pp
1991 83.5

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.