Nearly two million Ghanaians between the ages of 15 and 35 were neither employed nor engaged in education or training in the third quarter of 2025, with young women making up more than 60 per cent of the affected population, according to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS). The figures underscore the growing challenge of integrating the country’s expanding youth population into productive economic activities.
The GSS, in its publication Ghana in Numbers 2025, reported that the average proportion of young people classified as Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) stood at 17.9 per cent during the first three quarters of 2025. Government Statistician Dr Alhassan Iddrisu said the number of young people outside employment, education and training, particularly women, was a matter of concern that required urgent attention.
He noted that close to two million young people fell within the NEET category, with women accounting for more than six in every 10 cases. The report also points to significant regional and geographical disparities in the figures. The Central Region recorded the highest NEET rate among the areas highlighted, at 25.3 per cent. It further indicated that the rate stood at 20.6 per cent in urban communities, compared with 18 per cent in rural areas.
The findings come at a time when Ghana’s youth population is estimated at 12 million in 2025, representing approximately one-third of the country’s total population. The GSS explained that the NEET classification goes beyond conventional unemployment, covering young people who are neither working nor participating in any form of education or vocational training.
The Service said subsequent editions of Ghana in Numbers would monitor key indicators, including youth unemployment, NEET rates, informal employment and the alignment between educational qualifications and labour market demands. The data, it added, would provide valuable insights to guide national planning and inform policies aimed at improving youth employment and economic participation.
