Nearly two million young Ghanaians aged between 15 and 35 were neither employed nor engaged in education or training during the first three quarters of 2025, according to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).
The figures, published in the latest edition of Ghana in Numbers 2025, underscore the growing challenge of ensuring productive economic participation for the country’s expanding youth population.
According to the report, the average rate of young people classified as Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) stood at 17.9 per cent during the first nine months of 2025.
Speaking on the findings, Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu expressed concern over the high number of young people outside both the labour market and the education system, particularly young women.
“Close to two million young people are neither working nor in education or training, what we refer to as the NEET group, and more than six in ten of them are young women,” he stated.
The data revealed notable regional disparities, with the Central Region recording the highest NEET rate at 25.3 per cent.
The report also showed that youth in urban areas were more likely to fall into the category than their rural counterparts. The NEET rate in urban communities stood at 20.6 per cent, compared with 18 per cent in rural areas.
The findings come at a time when Ghana’s youth population is estimated at 12 million, representing about one-third of the country’s total population in 2025.
The GSS noted that the NEET category extends beyond conventional unemployment figures, as it includes young people who are neither working nor participating in any form of education or skills training.
Analysts consider the indicator an important measure of youth vulnerability, as it reflects the number of young people who may be disconnected from both learning opportunities and the labour market.
To support evidence-based policymaking, the Statistical Service indicated that future editions of Ghana in Numbers will continue to monitor youth unemployment, NEET trends, informal employment and the alignment between education outcomes and labour market demands.
The data is expected to inform government interventions aimed at improving youth employment prospects, expanding skills development programmes and enhancing opportunities for young people to contribute meaningfully to national development.
Source: Citinewsroom