00:00:00 IGIHE NETWORK KINYARWANDA ENGLISH FRANCAIS

What are key drivers of Rwanda’s employment landscape?

By IGIHE
On 22 May 2023 at 02:10

The latest quarterly survey conducted by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) on employment, known as the Labour Force Survey (LFS) has indicated that 3,803,942 people accounting for 47.7% of Rwandan population, are currently employed while unemployment rate in the country stands at 17.2%.

Agriculture emerges as the leading sector in terms of employment. The Labour Force Survey indicates that 1.7 million individuals, comprising 46.3% of the employed population, are engaged in agricultural activities. This figure is relatively high, as the country aims to reduce the proportion of agriculture-related employment to 30%.

The second most prominent economic activity is wholesale and retail trade, along with the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles. This sector employs 492,726 individuals, representing 13% of the employed population.

The real estate sector also contributes significantly to employment opportunities. In February 2023, the sector employed 307,229 people, accounting for 8.1% of the employed population.

According to figures from the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR), real estate accounted for 67.8% of development projects, playing a critical role in the country’s economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Transportation employs 203,586 individuals, equivalent to 5.4% of the employed population, while industry provides employment to 195,191 individuals, accounting for 5.1% of the total.

Other notable sectors include activities of households, employing 147,074 individuals (3.9%); education, employing 144,661 individuals (3.8%); accommodation and food service activities, employing 110,540 individuals (2.9%); as well as governance and the mining sector, which account for 2.7% and 1.1% of employment, respectively.

As per the Labour Force Survey, in February 2023, the working-age population (16 years and above) was approximately 8 million, with 3,803,942 individuals employed, 792,115 unemployed, and 3,380,192 individuals out of the labor force.

The sum of the employed and unemployed populations gives a total labor force of 4,596,057 individuals.

Manufacturing is among significant economic activities employing Rwandans.

Advertisement

YOUR OPINION ABOUT THIS ARTICLE

RULES AND REGULATIONS
Kwamamaza