Nearly 2m Ghanaian youth not in education, work or training
About two million young Ghanaians are currently outside the country’s education, employment and skills development systems, raising concerns about the ability to harness the potential of the nation’s growing youthful population.
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) revealed that 1.9 million people aged between 15 and 35 years were classified as Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) as of the third quarter of 2025.
The figure represents 19.5 per cent of Ghana’s youth population, highlighting persistent challenges around access to opportunities, skills acquisition and job creation.
The data was released as part of activities to commemorate World Population Day, which was held under the theme, “Investing in Ghana’s Future through Healthy, Skilled and Empowered Young People.”
According to the GSS, the findings point to the urgent need for increased investment in education, technical skills development and employment opportunities to enable young people to participate meaningfully in economic growth.
The Service also raised concerns about adolescent pregnancy and its impact on young women’s educational and economic prospects. Findings from the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey showed that 15 per cent of girls aged 15 to 19 had experienced pregnancy, while 11 per cent had already given birth.
The GSS noted that early pregnancy often disrupts education, limits opportunities for acquiring relevant skills and can reduce women’s long-term participation in the labour market.
The latest NEET figures come amid continued pressure in Ghana’s youth employment landscape. Data from the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first three quarters of 2025 showed that unemployment among persons aged 15 to 35 years averaged 21.9 per cent, significantly above the national unemployment rate of 12.8 per cent.
The GSS said Ghana’s youthful population presents both significant opportunities and challenges for national development. Young people between the ages of 15 and 35 now make up 36.9 per cent of the country’s estimated population of 33.7 million, compared with 34.6 per cent in 2000.
The Service stressed that the country’s ability to benefit from its demographic advantage will depend on how effectively it equips young people with relevant skills, quality education and access to decent employment opportunities.
It called for stronger technical and vocational education systems, improved school-to-work transition programmes, greater support for entrepreneurship and policies that encourage the expansion of sectors capable of generating sustainable jobs.
The GSS said investing in healthy, skilled and empowered young people remains critical to ensuring that Ghana’s growing youth population becomes a driver of productivity and long-term economic transformation.
