Rwanda Reports Drop in Youth Unemployment as Job Creation Expands

The survey shows that youth unemployment declined to 14.1% in the fourth quarter of 2025, down from 18% during the same period in 2024. Overall unemployment nationwide stood at 11.7%, representing about 649,800 people and marking a 3-percentage-point drop from the previous year.

Women continued to face higher unemployment, at 13%, compared with 10.5% among men. Youth unemployment remained higher than the national average, while unemployment among adults stood at 10%.

Urban areas recorded a slightly lower unemployment rate of 11%, compared with 12% in rural areas.

The report indicates that Rwanda’s working-age population, defined as those aged 16 and above, reached 8.6 million in early 2025. More than 4 million people, or 56.7%, were employed. Employment was higher among men, at 63.7%, than women, at 50.4%. Youth employment stood at 52.2%, while 60% of adults were employed. Urban employment reached 64%, compared with 53.4% in rural areas.

Among the 4.8 million employed in the fourth quarter, 39.6% worked in agriculture, 15.5% in industry and 44.9% in services.

Nearly half of those outside the labor force were engaged in subsistence farming, while others were students, elderly people, persons with disabilities or discouraged job seekers.

Unemployment peaked at more than 24% between 2021 and 2022 before declining steadily. Youth Minister Jean Nepo Abdallah Utumatwishima said some young people miss opportunities due to inadequate preparation. Under Rwanda’s second National Strategy for Transformation, the government aims to create 250,000 jobs annually to support youth employment.