Unemployment Averages 12.8% in 2025 as Labour Market Pressures Persist
Ghana’s unemployment rate averaged 12.8% in the three quarters of 2025, reflecting persistent pressures on the job market despite slight improvements earlier in the year, according to the latest Labour Statistics report from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).
The data highlights a fragile recovery, with unemployment easing slightly from 12.8% in the first quarter to 12.6% in the second quarter, only to rise again to 13.0% in the third quarter. This fluctuation points to the challenges in achieving sustained job growth in the country, particularly as the economy grapples with structural labour market issues.
A key concern remains the persistent gender disparity in unemployment, with female joblessness consistently higher than that of males throughout the period. The gap averaged 3.7 percentage points, narrowing marginally to 3.6 percentage points by the third quarter. This reinforces concerns about unequal access to employment opportunities for women, particularly in the formal sector.
The data also underscores the stark divide between urban and rural unemployment. Urban areas continue to bear the brunt of joblessness, with unemployment averaging 15.1% across the three quarters, compared to just 9.6% in rural areas. The gap reached a peak of 6.2 percentage points in the second quarter, before narrowing slightly to 5.6 percentage points in the third quarter.
Regionally, unemployment rates remained above the national average in key regions, including Greater Accra, Ashanti, Western, and Central regions. In the third quarter of 2025, for example, all four regions recorded unemployment rates exceeding the national average of 13%. This trend highlights the structural challenges faced by Ghana’s most economically active regions, where competition for formal-sector jobs remains intense.
Despite these challenges, there were signs of improvement in certain regions. In Greater Accra, the unemployment rate dipped from 20.2% in Q2 to 19.6% in Q3. Other regions, including Volta, Bono, and Northern regions, also saw slight declines in unemployment rates, indicating modest progress in regional labour market recovery.
The report suggests that while regional disparities remain, the ongoing challenges in the labour market require targeted policy interventions to address structural issues and ensure broader job creation across the country.
