Ghana — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Ghana, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Ghana was 58.52% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 73.07% in 1990. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.63% per year.
Ghana ranks 115 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 61%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 64.31%, so Ghana sits below it. It peaked in 1990 and has fallen 20% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 15%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 32 of 47 economies; Togo (57.84%) is just below it. That is 7% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 27th of 187 in 1990 → 32nd of 187 in 2000 → 28th of 187 in 2010 → 79th of 187 in 2020 → 114th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 58.52% | -0.5 pp |
| 2024 | 59.06% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 59.07% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 59.1% | -1.3 pp |
| 2021 | 60.39% | -1.2 pp |
| 2020 | 61.62% | -2.1 pp |
| 2019 | 63.71% | -1.6 pp |
| 2018 | 65.28% | -1.6 pp |
| 2017 | 66.86% | -1.2 pp |
| 2016 | 68.07% | -1.2 pp |
| 2015 | 69.25% | -1.2 pp |
| 2014 | 70.47% | -1.2 pp |
| 2013 | 71.65% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 71.72% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 71.78% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 71.85% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 71.91% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 71.97% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 72.04% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 72.1% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 72.17% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 72.23% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 72.29% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 72.36% | -0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 72.42% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 72.49% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 72.55% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 72.61% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 72.68% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 72.74% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 72.8% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 72.87% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 72.93% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 72.99% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 73.06% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 73.07% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Ghana’s Labor participation in 1991?
73.06% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Ghana’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -19.9% in total — about 0.6% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 58.52%; 2024: 59.06%; 2023: 59.07%; 2022: 59.1%; 2021: 60.39%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.