Uganda’s unemployment rate has slightly increased over the past three years, according to a new government report.
Findings from the Uganda Harmonised Integrated Survey (UHIS), released by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), show that unemployment among persons aged 15 years and above rose from 10.2% in 2021/22 to 11.0% in 2024/25.
The findings were presented during the release of the survey at Statistics House on Tuesday, May 14.
According to the report, employment in agriculture, forestry and fishing declined by 8.3 percentage points over the period, while the proportion of Ugandans engaged in subsistence agriculture dropped from 30.4% to 25.8%.
Growth in non-farm wage employment remained modest, increasing by only three percentage points to 17.9%, suggesting that job creation outside agriculture has not matched the movement of labour away from the sector.
The survey further indicates that 5.5% of previously employed persons had become unemployed by 2024/25, while 21.3% of the working-age population exited the labour force after giving up the search for jobs.
The report, which tracks households and individuals over time, was disseminated online and broadcast live on national television and the UBOS YouTube channel because of the Ebola outbreak.
It provides key indicators on labour force participation, unemployment, housing conditions and household welfare. UBOS said the data is important for monitoring changes in economic wellbeing over time. The bureau also announced that education findings from the survey will be released next week.
Senior statistician Stephen Barahirwa said the longitudinal survey, which began in 2021, follows the same households and individuals over several years to monitor changes in living conditions and economic status.
“The target is households, but the survey covers all individuals within those households,” he said, adding that attrition stood at 13% after some households dropped out during different survey waves.
Principal statistician Audrey Kemigisha said the proportion of male-headed households declined over the period, while female-headed and single-member households increased.
In the education sector, school attendance improved among both boys and girls, although enrolment declined at higher levels of learning. The survey found that only 41% of learners remained in school at the final stages of education.
Literacy levels also improved, rising by 11 percentage points to 85%, while combined rural and urban literacy stood at 84.5%.
On employment trends, the report highlights a gradual shift away from subsistence work, with more Ugandans moving into skilled occupations. While the services and industry sectors recorded growth, employment in fishing declined.
Despite these structural changes, unemployment continued to rise slightly, raising concerns about the pace of job creation during Uganda’s economic transition.
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