There is a growing frustration among young Africans with the slow pace of job creation on the continent, of which Ghana is no exception.
The youth in Ghana are currently frustrated over the government’s inability to create enough jobs, ranking the country among African countries with the lowest approval ratings on employment creation.
According to the October 2025 Africa’s Pulse Report, only a small fraction of Ghanaians, which is less than 20% approve of the government’s efforts to generate jobs.
This, the World Bank says, places Ghana alongside countries such as Nigeria, Angola, Zimbabwe, and the Republic of Congo, where youth discontent over unemployment has been mounting.
The report cited by The High Street Journal explained that the findings, based on the Afrobarometer 2024–25 survey, underscore how joblessness has become one of the most pressing concerns for citizens across Africa.
The continent is currently the most youthful. For millions of young people entering the labor market each year, hopes of finding decent, sustainable employment remain dim.
In Ghana, where youth unemployment has been a persistent issue, this frustration has often boiled over into social media campaigns and growing calls for government accountability.
“The approval rating of African governments on job creation is low: less than a quarter of respondents to the Afrobarometer survey approved of their governments’ efforts to create jobs. In countries like Angola, Ghana, Nigeria, the Republic of Congo, and Zimbabwe, approval ratings are less than 20 percent,” the World Bank report cited.
The World Bank warns that such widespread dissatisfaction poses risks to social stability and long-term development if not urgently addressed. It emphasizes the need for African governments to promote private sector-led growth, improve access to skills training, and create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship.
“Employment ranks among the top concerns of citizens in African countries, as rated by respondents to the Afrobarometer survey (2024–25). Indeed, there is deep frustration among African youth about their countries’ inability to generate sufficient numbers of good jobs. This dissatisfaction is evident in the protests witnessed over the past few years in many African cities,” the World Bank cautioned.
For now, Ghana is working to rebuild after the 2022 economic ruins, and addressing unemployment could determine not just the pace of growth, but also the confidence of its next generation in the government.
