In Senegal, 2025 ended with a record unemployment rate. In 2026, with the country's economy not in the best shape, the figures remain alarming.

An unemployment rate perched at 22.9%

During the first quarter of the year, the (broad) unemployment rate is estimated at 22.9%. This represents a 1.2% increase compared to the same period in 2025, when it stood at 21.7%.

According to the report of the National Employment Survey in Senegal, published by the National Agency for Statistics and Demography (ANSD), the unemployment rate, in the strict sense of the ILO, stood at 5.1% in the quarter under review.

32% in rural areas, 28.4% among young people

The rate is higher in rural areas, where it peaks at 32%. In urban areas, it stands at 17.4%. And depending on the age group, unemployment is significantly higher among young people, reaching 28.4%. For adults, the rate is only 6.8%.

As unemployment rises, the employment rate falls slightly. It stood at 40.2% in the quarter under review, compared to 40.4% in the same period of 2025.

“More than a third of the population aged 15 to 24 are neither employed, nor in education, nor in training…”

The activity rate is on the rise. Indeed, 56.5% of people of working age participated in the labor market, compared to 56.0% for the same period last year.

According to the ANSD, more than a third of the population aged 15 to 24 (34.1%) is not in employment, education, or training (NEET). The rate of young NEETs has increased by 0.6% compared to the same period in 2025, when it stood at 33.5%.