Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Benin
Benin: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 1.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Benin, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Benin is 1.6%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.9% on the previous year and down 15.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Benin peaked at 2.6% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 2002.
Benin ranks 175th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Benin, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1.6% | — |
| 1992 | 1.5% | -7.8% |
| 1993 | 1.5% | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 1.5% | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 1.3% | -10.2% |
| 1996 | 1.2% | -4.5% |
| 1997 | 1.1% | -11.7% |
| 1998 | 1.0% | -4.7% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | -9.4% |
| 2000 | 0.9% | -9.0% |
| 2001 | 0.8% | -11.3% |
| 2002 | 0.7% | -9.9% |
| 2003 | 0.7% | +8.3% |
| 2004 | 0.8% | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 0.9% | +8.7% |
| 2006 | 0.9% | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 0.9% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 0.9% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 0.9% | +6.1% |
| 2010 | 1.0% | +9.5% |
| 2011 | 2.6% | +154.5% |
| 2012 | 2.5% | -7.1% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | -10.6% |
| 2014 | 2.0% | -11.2% |
| 2015 | 1.9% | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 1.8% | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 1.7% | -7.8% |
| 2018 | 1.4% | -15.7% |
| 2019 | 1.2% | -14.9% |
| 2020 | 1.5% | +25.0% |
| 2021 | 1.8% | +20.8% |
| 2022 | 1.7% | -8.1% |
| 2023 | 1.6% | -2.6% |
| 2024 | 1.6% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 1.6% | -2.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.3% | 0.9% | 1.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.8% | 1.0% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Benin
- 172 Togo 2.0% compare
- 173 Cuba 1.7% compare
- 174 Timor-Leste 1.6% compare
- 176 Tanzania, United Republic of 1.6% compare
- 177 Viet Nam 1.5% compare
- 178 Republic of Moldova 1.5% compare
More education data for Benin
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 84,746 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 929,099 (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.40 million (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 5.18 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1743 units per person (2022)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.40 million (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 5.18 % change on previous year (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Benin?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Benin was 1.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 2.6% in 2011.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 2002.
- How does Benin rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Benin ranks 175th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.