{
  "id": 17322800,
  "title": "Youth unemployment exceeds 32%; about 12m Ghanaians are between 15 and 35 years – GSS",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/youth-unemployment-exceeds-32-about-12m-ghanaians-are-between-15-and",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-31T01:54:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/youth-unemployment-exceeds-32-about-12m-ghanaians-are-between-15-and-35-years-gss/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "About 12 million Ghanaians were aged between 15 and 35 in 2025, representing roughly one-third of the country's population - the largest youth demographic in Ghana's history. The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) unveiled these figures in its annual flagship publication, Ghana in Numbers, 2025. The report scrutinizes whether the country's extensive youth population is accompanied by the necessary education, skills, and employment opportunities to empower young people to contribute fully to the economy. Despite the sizable youth population, youth unemployment remains higher than the overall national rate, averaging 32.4% among those aged 15-24 and 21.9% among those aged 15-35 during the first three quarters of 2025. The national average unemployment rate during the same period stood at 12.8%. Consequently, young jobseekers were disproportionately more likely to be unemployed compared to the broader labor force. Nearly 17.9% of young people aged 15-35 were neither employed nor enrolled in education or training (the NEET rate) during the first three quarters of 2025, with close to two million individuals falling into this category alone in the third quarter. Women constituted more than 60% of the NEET group. Employment quality and skill alignment also play a crucial role in addressing the youth employment challenge. While 65% of employed youth reported that their skills matched their jobs, only 58% said their level of education aligned with job requirements. The majority of jobs in Ghana are informal, indicating that employment is not solely about being employed but also about whether the work utilizes the individual's training and offers stable, protected employment. Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu, Government Statistician, emphasized that labor figures must be analyzed together, stating that \"close to two million young people are neither working nor in education or training, which we refer to as the NEET group, and more than six in ten of them are young women.\" The demographic opportunity presented by Ghana's population structure is time-bound. The share of children aged 0 to 14 has decreased from 41.8% in 2000 to 35.0% in 2025, while the youth share has remained consistent at about 35%. This age structure can accelerate development when a larger working-age population possesses the health, skills, and jobs necessary for productivity. However, the window of opportunity is closing, as the report indicates that Ghana's demographic window opened in the early 2000s and has been narrowing since 2019. Dr. Iddrisu cautioned that \"our choices on schooling, skills, and jobs in the next ten years will decide whether it becomes a dividend or a burden.\" To support informed decision-making on education, employment, and skills planning, Ghana in Numbers, 2025 compiles population, labor market, education, and skills indicators. Future editions of the report will track youth unemployment, the NEET rate, informal work, and the alignment between schooling and job requirements. The publication and associated data resources are accessible through the Ghana Statistical Service website, StatsBank, and the GSS Stats App.",
  "summary": "About 12 million Ghanaians were aged 15 to 35 in 2025, roughly one in every three people and the largest youth population in the country’s history. The figures are presented in Ghana in Numbers, 2025, the new annual flagship publication of the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), which brings official statistics on Ghana’s population, economy, society, […]",
  "key_points": [
    "About 12 million Ghanaians aged 15-35, representing one-third of the population",
    "Youth unemployment at 32.4% (15-24) and 21.9% (15-35) in Q3 2025",
    "17.9% of youth NEET (not employed, in education, or training) in Q3 2025"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The disconnect between a growing youth demographic and available formal employment threatens to turn Ghana's potential demographic dividend into a long-term economic burden.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}