Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Senegal
Senegal: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 2.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Senegal, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Senegal stood at 2.7%.
That represents a change of down 1.9% on the previous year and down 59.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Senegal peaked at 6.8% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 2000.
Senegal ranks 158th 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 Senegal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.9% | — |
| 1992 | 2.9% | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 2.9% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 2.9% | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 2.8% | -3.4% |
| 1996 | 2.8% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 2.8% | -2.5% |
| 1998 | 2.8% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 2.7% | -3.5% |
| 2000 | 2.6% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 2.7% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 2.8% | +5.5% |
| 2003 | 2.8% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 2.8% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 2.7% | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 2.8% | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 2.8% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 2.8% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 2.9% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 3.9% | +36.6% |
| 2013 | 5.0% | +28.6% |
| 2014 | 5.8% | +16.7% |
| 2015 | 6.8% | +15.5% |
| 2016 | 4.5% | -34.1% |
| 2017 | 4.1% | -8.5% |
| 2018 | 3.5% | -15.3% |
| 2019 | 2.9% | -17.1% |
| 2020 | 3.4% | +19.9% |
| 2021 | 3.4% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 2.8% | -17.4% |
| 2023 | 2.8% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 2.8% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 2.7% | -1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.8% | 2.6% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.2% | 2.8% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.0% | 2.7% | 3.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Senegal
- 155 Singapore 2.8% compare
- 156 Hong Kong, China 2.8% compare
- 157 Uganda 2.7% compare
- 159 Republic of Korea 2.7% compare
- 160 Guinea-Bissau 2.7% compare
- 160 Mexico 2.7% compare
More education data for Senegal
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 181,550 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.28 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.35 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.4401 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.127 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.35 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.4401 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Senegal?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Senegal was 2.7% 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 Senegal?
- The highest recorded value was 6.8% in 2015.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Senegal?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 2000.
- How does Senegal rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Senegal ranks 158th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Senegal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 59.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Senegal 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.