Rwanda’s unemployment rate decreased to 14.7% in November 2024, a 2.1 percentage point drop from 16.8% in the same period the previous year, according to the latest report from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR). The figure also represents a slight improvement from the pre-COVID-19 rate of 15.4% recorded in November 2019.
The decline in unemployment signals progress as Rwanda’s economy continues to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the rate still means that nearly one in seven people in the labor force remains unemployed.
Despite the overall decline, the unemployment rate for women and youth remains disproportionately high according to NISR. Female unemployment stood at 17.5%, significantly higher than the 12.2% rate for men.
Youth unemployment, affecting individuals aged 16 to 30, was even more troubling, reaching 18%. This points to the continued challenges young people face in securing employment.
Unemployment rates also vary by region, with rural areas facing higher unemployment (15.2%) compared to urban areas (13.6%). This reflects the difficulty rural populations have in accessing job opportunities, which may be compounded by factors like limited infrastructure and economic diversification.
While the gender gap in unemployment has narrowed slightly, the disparity remains significant, with men having a 5.3 percentage point lower unemployment rate than women. This persistent gap suggests ongoing barriers for women in securing employment, potentially driven by cultural, educational, or systemic factors limiting their access to the labor market.
On a positive note, Rwanda’s employment figures have improved. The number of employed people grew by 4.7% up to November 2024, compared to a 4% increase in November 2023. Labor market participation also saw significant growth, reflecting the broader economic recovery as more people rejoined the workforce following the COVID-19 crisis.
“The decline in unemployment could be explained by the fact that the economy is recovering, and people who were not previously part of the labor market have rejoined and found employment,” the report states.
The report also highlighted challenges for women seeking public sector employment. In 2023/2024, 29,000 women competed for government positions, but only 1,574 succeeded. Of these, 716 were immediately placed in roles, while 745 were placed on a waiting list.
The reasons for the low success rate among women in public sector competitions are not yet fully understood, but further research is expected to investigate these underlying causes.
In addition to those unemployed, NISR reports that over 749,000 individuals, or 14.7% of the population, are not employed but are actively seeking work and willing to work. Moreover, the labor force includes individuals who are not classified as unemployed but are out of the formal labor market. This group comprises 3,018,614 people, including 24.7% students, 27.7% elderly individuals, people with disabilities, and those who have stopped seeking work. A significant portion, 47.6%, are engaged in subsistence farming.
Source: NISR
