Own-account workers, male (% of male employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa: Own-account workers, male (% of male employment) was 49.2% in 2016. ▼ Falling

Latest (2016)
49.2%
Change on year
down 1.3%
Rank
5th
of 25 groups
All-time high
55.1%
in 1995
All-time low
49.2%
in 2016
Years of data
26
1991–2016

Own-account workers, male (% of male employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1991–2016

02040601991200320161991: 54.61992: 54.61993: 54.91994: 53.91995: 55.11996: 55.11997: 551998: 55.11999: 54.22000: 53.52001: 54.12002: 542003: 542004: 53.32005: 53.72006: 52.72007: 50.72008: 51.12009: 51.42010: 51.22011: 49.92012: 49.82013: 49.52014: 49.92015: 49.82016: 49.2

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in March 2017.

Analysis

Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 49.2% for own-account workers, male (% of male employment) in 2016. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.

The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 6.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, own-account workers, male (% of male employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 55.1% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 49.2%, in 2016.

Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 5th of 25 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.

Own-account workers, male (% of male employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for Own-account workers, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1991 to 2016.
Year Value Change
1991 54.6%
1992 54.6% +0.0%
1993 54.9% +0.5%
1994 53.9% -1.8%
1995 55.1% +2.4%
1996 55.1% -0.1%
1997 55.0% -0.2%
1998 55.1% +0.2%
1999 54.2% -1.7%
2000 53.5% -1.2%
2001 54.1% +1.0%
2002 54.0% -0.2%
2003 54.0% +0.1%
2004 53.3% -1.2%
2005 53.7% +0.6%
2006 52.7% -1.9%
2007 50.7% -3.7%
2008 51.1% +0.7%
2009 51.4% +0.5%
2010 51.2% -0.3%
2011 49.9% -2.6%
2012 49.8% -0.2%
2013 49.5% -0.6%
2014 49.9% +0.8%
2015 49.8% -0.1%
2016 49.2% -1.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 54.7% 53.9% 55.1% 9
2000s 52.8% 50.7% 54.1% 10
2010s 49.9% 49.2% 51.2% 7

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa

  1. 2 Haiti 82.0% compare
  2. 3 Sierra Leone 76.4% compare
  3. 4 Chad 73.0% compare
  4. 5 Benin 70.2% compare
  5. 6 India 67.4% compare
  6. 7 Somalia 67.1% compare
  7. 8 Rwanda 66.5% compare

See the full ranking of 213 places →

More gender data for Sub-Saharan Africa

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is own-account workers, male (% of male employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Own-account workers, male (% of male employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa was 49.2% in 2016, according to International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in March 2017.
What is the highest own-account workers, male (% of male employment) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 55.1% in 1995.
What is the lowest own-account workers, male (% of male employment) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 49.2% in 2016.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for own-account workers, male (% of male employment)?
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 5th out of 25 groups with data for 2016.
Is own-account workers, male (% of male employment) rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 6.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in March 2017, published as part of Own-account workers, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Own-account workers, male (% of male employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in March 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/own-account-workers-male-percent-of-male-employment-modeled-ilo-estimate/sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Own-account workers, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate)
Source
International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in March 2017
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
213 places, 5,537 data points, 1991–2016
Last refreshed

Own-account workers are workers who, working on their own account or with one or more more partners, hold the types of jobs defined as "self-employment jobs" and have not engaged on a continuous basis any employees to work for them. Own account workers are a subcategory of "self-employed".