Unemployment among young people aged 15 to 24 remained high in the third quarter of 2025, according to the latest labour statistics released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).
This was made known by the Government Statistician, Dr Alhassan Iddrisu, when he released the Labour Force Statistics 2025 Quarters 1 to 3, in Accra on Thursday, December 18, 2025.
He indicated that although there were marginal improvements in overall labour market participation, a significant number of young people continued to struggle to find employment during the period under review.
He said youth unemployment remains one of the most persistent challenges in the labour market, driven largely by limited job opportunities, skills mismatch, and slow absorption of new entrants into the workforce.
He stated that about 1.34 million of youth in this age group were not in employment, education or training. Youth labour underutilisation remains high.
Data from the third quarter showed that many young people were either unemployed or engaged in vulnerable forms of employment, including informal and short-term jobs with little security.
The situation was more pronounced among urban youth, where competition for limited formal-sector jobs remains intense.
Dr Alhassan also highlighted that graduates and first-time job seekers are among the most affected, as employers increasingly demand work experience and specialised skills.
This trend has left many qualified young people unemployed for months or even years after completing their education.
He stressed the need for targeted policies to address youth unemployment, including expanded skills training, stronger links between education and industry, and increased investment in job-creating sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and digital services.
He stated that Own-account work (self-employed without employees) continued to dominate, highlighting the limited availability of secure wage employment and the persistence of informality. Unemployment remained relatively stable but elevated, particularly among young people.
“The national unemployment rate edged down slightly to 12.8% in Q1 2025 from 13.1% in Q4 of 2024, eased further to 12.6% in Q2 2025, and then rose to 13.0% in Q3 2025. The key message here is that jobs are increasing, but the unemployment rate is not falling in a sustained way. New job creation is still not fast enough to absorb new entrants, especially young people and urban job seekers. Youth labour outcomes remain challenging. In Q3 of 2025, Youth unemployment consistently exceeded the national average, with the highest rates (32.4%) among persons aged 15 to 24. In addition, about 21.5 percent young people in this age group were not in employment, education, or training (NEET), representing a significant loss of productive potential,” he added.
Youth unemployment continues to be a key concern for policymakers, as it has broader social and economic implications, including increased poverty, social vulnerability, and pressure on households.
The Statistical Service urged sustained collaboration between government, the private sector, and educational institutions to reverse the trend.
