• Urban employment reached 53.7% in WAEMU in early 2025
• Most jobs remain informal, low-paid, and insecure
• Youth and women are the most exposed to precarious work

In a report published in June 2025, the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) said the urban employment rate in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) stood at 53.7% in the first quarter. The rate is measured as the share of the working-age population that is actually employed, in either the formal or informal sector. The figure is based on household surveys conducted in major urban centers across the union’s eight member states and reflects the capacity of local economies to absorb labor in cities.

By comparison, Senegal’s overall employment rate stood at 41.7% in the second quarter of 2025, with wide disparities between urban and rural areas, at 45.3% and 36.1% respectively, and between adults and young people, at 57.7% and 31.1%.

Despite the relatively high employment rate, job quality remains a major concern. Across West Africa and sub-Saharan Africa more broadly, most jobs offer neither social protection nor legal security. Within WAEMU, many urban jobs share these characteristics, as they are often poorly paid and unstable. According to the latest data, more than 90% of jobs in the region fall into these precarious activities, mainly in agriculture, street trading, and small-scale services. This limits access to decent working conditions and career progression.

The situation has specific implications for young people and women, who account for a growing share of the regional labor force. Each year, tens of millions of young people enter the WAEMU labor market, often without professional training aligned with employers’ needs. As a result, many are pushed into low-productivity or insecure jobs. These figures highlight the need to strengthen public policies aimed at improving youth integration and raising job quality across the region.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou