According to the Labour Force Survey, the unemployment rate stood at 15.3% in August 2024, marking a decline from both the previous year and pre-COVID-19 levels. This translates to 815,000 unemployed individuals out of a working-age population of 8.3 million.
Compared to the same quarter in 2023, the unemployment rate dropped by 2.7 percent, and it decreased by 0.7 percent compared to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.
The survey showed that around 4.5 million Rwandans were employed, while approximately 3 million people were outside the labor force. Those not participating in the labor force included full-time students, the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and discouraged job seekers.
The labor force, which combines the employed and unemployed populations, was estimated at 5.3 million people, with labor force participation reaching 64.1%, up from 59.8% in August 2023.
However, disparities persist across gender, age, and geographic areas. The unemployment rate was higher among women (18.5%) compared to men (12.5%) and among youth (18.8%) compared to adults (12.6%). Additionally, rural areas reported a slightly higher unemployment rate (16%) compared to urban areas (13.8%).
The labor force participation rate has steadily risen, driven by an increasing share of the working-age population actively engaging in the labor market.
This improvement is reflected in the reduction of the population outside the labor force, which fell to 35.9% in August 2024 from 40.2% a year earlier.
The distribution of employment across sectors highlights a notable shift in Rwanda's economic structure. The agriculture sector, historically a key employer, saw its share of employment shrink to 32.6% in August 2024, down from 37.4% a year earlier.
In contrast, the services sector took the lead, employing 45.4% of the workforce compared to 41% in August 2023. Employment in the industrial sector remained relatively stable over the same period.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/rwanda-s-unemployment-rate-drops-by-2-7-percent
