KAMPALA, November 11, 2026 – At least 1.89 million Ugandans aged 15 years and above were unemployed between July and September 2026, with young people and women bearing the greatest burden, according to the latest Labour Market Survey released by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics [UBOS].
The Quarter One Labour Market Survey for the 2026/2027 financial year puts the national unemployment rate at 11.7 percent, representing 1,887,639 people who were without jobs during the period.
Unemployment among young people aged 15 to 24 stood at 15.4 percent, equivalent to 646,892 people, while the rate among those aged 18 to 30 was 14.6 percent, representing 993,481 unemployed people.
The findings paint a challenging picture of Uganda’s labour market, where millions of people are struggling to secure employment, while many others rely on informal work characterised by limited job security and protection.
Announcing the findings, UBOS said the quarterly survey provides an insight into the country’s workforce and prevailing employment trends.
“We have released the Quarter 1 Labour Market Survey [LMS] findings [July to September], giving an insight into the National workforce,” the statistics agency said.
“Approximately 1.9 million people [11.7 percent], who are 15 years and above, are unemployed. The Youth unemployment stands at 15.4 percent,” UBOS added.
The report estimates Uganda’s working-age population, comprising people aged 15 years and above, at 28,874,680. Of these, 16,136,330 were participating in the labour force, while 14,248,691 were employed during the three-month period.
Consequently, the employment-to-population ratio stood at 49.3 percent, meaning that fewer than half of Uganda’s working-age population had jobs.
The survey further shows that the unemployment challenge extends beyond the 1.89 million people officially classified as unemployed.
UBOS estimates that another 4,779,247 people belong to the potential labour force. This category includes people who are available to work but are not actively seeking employment, as well as those who have searched for work but are not immediately available to take up a job.
Among young people aged 15 to 24, the potential labour force stood at 1,630,271, representing 27.9 per cent of the population in that age category.
The figures point to a substantial number of Ugandans who remain outside active employment, either because they cannot find suitable opportunities or are not participating in the conventional job-search process.
Long-term unemployment is another challenge highlighted by the survey. It estimates that 883,456 people aged 15 years and above had remained unemployed for at least one year, representing 48.7 per cent of all unemployed people in that age category.
The situation is particularly difficult among young adults, with 53.2 percent of unemployed people aged 18 to 30 having spent at least one year without securing a job.
Among those aged 15 to 24, a total of 277,404 people had been unemployed for at least 12 months, representing 43.7 percent of unemployed people in that age group.
The findings also reveal significant gender disparities in access to employment, with women experiencing higher unemployment rates than men.
The female unemployment rate stood at 13.3 per cent, compared with 10.3 per cent among men. Among young people aged 15 to 24, female unemployment was 19.2 per cent, while the rate for males stood at 12.6 percent.
For young adults aged 18 to 30, the unemployment rate among women was 18.6 per cent, compared with 11.4 percent among men.
The employment-to-population ratio also highlights the gender gap, standing at 57.9 percent for men and 41.9 percent for women. This indicates that a significantly smaller proportion of working-age women were employed compared with their male counterparts.
The survey further examines the sectors providing employment, revealing that services remain Uganda’s largest employer, accounting for 49 percent of employed people.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing account for 37.7 percent of employment, while industry contributes 13.3 percent.
The services sector employs a larger proportion of women, accounting for 55.7 per cent of employed females, compared with 43.6 percent of employed men. Agriculture accounts for 36.6 percent of female employment and 38.6 percent of male employment.
Industry, however, employs 17.8 percent of men, compared with only 7.8 percent of women, highlighting differences in the sectors where men and women find work.
Despite the number of people classified as employed, informal work continues to dominate Uganda’s labour market.
UBOS estimates that 86.9 per cent of employed people outside agriculture, forestry and fishing are engaged in informal employment. The proportion is higher among women, at 90.4 per cent, compared with 83.9 percent among men.
The findings suggest that being employed does not necessarily translate into secure or decent work, with many Ugandans depending on informal businesses and other forms of employment that may not offer the stability and protections associated with formal jobs.
Underemployment is another concern, with 18.2 percent of people aged 15 years and above classified as being in time-related underemployment.
The indicator measures people who work fewer hours than they would like and are available to work additional hours. The rate was higher among women, at 20.3 per cent, compared with 16.5 percent among men.
Among young people aged 15 to 24, time-related underemployment stood at 20.4 per cent, indicating that even those who have secured some form of employment may not be getting sufficient working hours.
The survey also compares the latest findings with the 2024 National Population and Housing Census, showing that the unemployment rate among people aged 15 years and above declined from 12.3 percent to 11.7 percent.
Youth unemployment among those aged 15 to 24 also fell from 16.7 percent to 15.4 percent, while the employment-to-population ratio increased from 37.9 percent to 49.3 percent.
However, the decline in the overall unemployment rate does not eliminate the challenge of creating sufficient and sustainable jobs for Uganda’s growing working-age population.
The latest findings underscore the need to expand employment opportunities, particularly for young people entering the labour market, while addressing the barriers that continue to limit women’s participation in productive employment.
The Quarter One Labour Market Survey covers July to September 2026 and forms part of UBOS’s quarterly monitoring of employment trends, workforce participation and the structure of Uganda’s labour market.
https://thecooperator.news/the-uhuru-institute-youth-camps-addressing-unemployment/
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