In its flagship publication Ghana in Numbers, 2025, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reported that 12 million Ghanaians were aged 15 to 35 in 2025, roughly one in every three people and the largest youth population in the country’s history.
During the first three quarters of 2025, youth unemployment averaged 32.4% for ages 15 to 24 and 21.9% for ages 15 to 35, compared with a national average of 12.8%. The figures indicate that young jobseekers were more likely than the wider labour force to be unable to find work.
The report also highlighted the NEET rate – the share of young people who are neither employed nor enrolled in education or training – at 17.9% for ages 15 to 35. In the third quarter alone, close to two million people in this group were identified, with women making up more than 60%. Urban areas recorded a NEET rate of 20.6%, rural areas 18.0% and the Central Region 25.3%.
Only 58% of employed youth said their level of education matched what the job required, and more than 70% of all jobs were informal, raising concerns about job quality and skills matching.
Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu, Government Statistician, warned that the demographic window is narrowing: “Ghana’s youth window is open, but it is closing. Our choices on schooling, skills and jobs in the next ten years will decide whether it becomes a dividend or a burden.”
The GSS publication will track these indicators in future editions, providing data on youth unemployment, the NEET rate, informal work and the match between schooling and jobs through its website, StatsBank and the GSS Stats App.
Policymakers and stakeholders are urged to act swiftly to align education, skills training and employment opportunities with the needs of Ghana’s growing youth population.
