Ghana’s labour force expanded steadily in the first three quarters of 2025, with over 330,000 more persons employed by September compared to March, according to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).
However, this growth exists alongside profound challenges, including severe youth unemployment, significant labour underutilisation, and widespread mismatches between workers' skills and their jobs.
Presented by Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu today in Accra, the report shows the labour force constituted over 15 million persons from January to September 2025.
Female employment remained consistently higher than male employment, with over 7.2 million females employed compared to about 6 million males. Despite this, female unemployment was, on average, 3.7 percentage points higher than male unemployment across the period.
The most alarming figures concern young Ghanaians. The youth unemployment rate for those aged 15-24 years averaged 32.5 per cent, soaring to 49.3 per cent in Greater Accra during the third quarter. Furthermore, approximately 1.34 million persons (21.5%) in that age group were classified as Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET).
“About one in five employed persons are underutilised,” the report states, with the composite labour underutilisation rate estimated at 23.4 percent in the third quarter. Underemployment was markedly higher in rural areas (14.9%) than in urban areas (9.7%).
The report introduces new analysis on skills and qualification mismatch, revealing inefficiencies in how human capital is deployed. In the third quarter, over 10 per cent of employed persons felt their skills exceeded their job requirements, with this perception highest among men and urban workers. Conversely, 15.7 per cent of workers considered themselves underqualified for their roles, a condition most reported in rural areas.
Dr. Iddrisu highlighted the relevance of these new indicators, noting that skills mismatch “highlights inefficiencies in the labour market, signals gaps between education systems and labour demand, and informs education, training, and workforce development policies.”
Another new metric, shift-based work, showed that while only 1.6 per cent of workers regularly worked night shifts, there was substantial latent interest. Among those not currently in shift work, 46.5 per cent expressed interest in such arrangements, with interest highest among men and rural workers. The report notes this data “supports the 24-hour economy by showing the scale of non-standard work hours.”
The GSS issued multi-tiered recommendations. It called on the government to “prioritise youth employment pathways” and “align skills development with labour market demand.” Businesses were urged to “improve job quality and skills utilisation by matching workers to roles that reflect their qualifications.” Individuals and households were encouraged to “invest in skills development and lifelong learning.”