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Rwanda Unemployment Rate

Rwanda's unemployment rate rose to 13.4% in Q2 2025 from 11.1% in Q1 2025. This increase occurred despite overall employment growth and a year-over-year decrease in unemployment. Skills mismatch and higher youth unemployment contribute to these trends. Rwanda's record low unemployment rate was 11.1% in Q1 2025 and record high was 24.3% in Q4 2022.

Quarterly Historical Data (2016-2025)

(in %)
Quarter Unemployment Rate
Q2 2025 13.4%
Q1 2025 11.1%
Q4 2024 14.7%
Q3 2024 15.3%
Q2 2024 16.8%
Q1 2024 12.9%
Q4 2023 16.8%
Q3 2023 18%
Q2 2023 16.8%
Q1 2023 17.2%
Q4 2022 24.3%
Q3 2022 18.1%
Q2 2022 23%
Q1 2022 16.5%
Q4 2021 23.8%
Q3 2021 19.4%
Q2 2021 23.5%
Q1 2021 17%
Q4 2020 20.3%
Q3 2020 16%
Q2 2020 22.1%
Q1 2020 13.1%
Q4 2019 15.4%
Q3 2019 16%
Q2 2019 15%
Q1 2019 14.5%
Q3 2018 14.3%
Q1 2018 16%
Q3 2017 17.8%
Q1 2017 16.7%
Q3 2016 18.8%
Q1 2016 13.2%
Rwanda Unemployment Rate : Definition
The Rwanda unemployment rate represents the share of the nation's labor force aged 16 and above that is jobless and actively seeking employment. It is calculated by dividing the count of unemployed individuals by the total labor force and expressing the result as a percentage.