Employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age was 40.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 40.1% for employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and down 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 61.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 40.1%, in 2025.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 3rd out of 33 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 61.1% | — |
| 2001 | 60.1% | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 59.5% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 58.4% | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 55.1% | -5.5% |
| 2005 | 53.8% | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 52.2% | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 50.9% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 49.6% | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 48.8% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 47.5% | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 45.8% | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 44.2% | -3.4% |
| 2013 | 43.5% | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 42.4% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 42.5% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 42.3% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 42.1% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 41.8% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 41.5% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 43.3% | +4.4% |
| 2021 | 43.1% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 42.3% | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 41.5% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 40.8% | -1.6% |
| 2025 | 40.1% | -1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 55.0% | 48.8% | 61.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.4% | 41.5% | 47.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.8% | 40.1% | 43.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 1 Melanesia 33.1% compare
- 2 Honduras 12.9% compare
- 3 Tajikistan 12.1% compare
- 4 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 7.2% compare
- 5 Bangladesh 7.0% compare
- 6 Peru 6.9% compare
More poverty & inequality data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Poverty headcount ratio at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 45.1% (2024)
- Poverty gap at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 17.2% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) 63.3% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP) 88.6% (2024)
- Prosperity gap 11.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day (2024)
- Poverty gap at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) 27.9% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line 48.3% (2024)
- Poverty gap at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP) 53.2% (2024)
- Population living in slums 53.7% (2022)
- Proportion of population below international poverty line 45.2% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age in Sub-Saharan Africa was 40.1% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 61.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.1% in 2025.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 3rd out of 33 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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