Impact of COVID-19 informal employment in Africa 2022, by country

In 2022, the informal sector in Africa grew during the pandemic, as shown by the informal sector's share in total employment, which is measured relative to pre-pandemic levels (assigned a value of 100). Seychelles experienced the largest increase in informal sector employment during the period under review. The country scored 112.6, indicating a 12.6 percentage point increase compared to pre-pandemic levels. Egypt has also experienced a significant increase, with a share of 109.1, indicating a 9.1 percentage points increase. Mali is the only country on the list where the informal sector share in total employment is slightly lower than pre-pandemic levels, indicating a slight decrease in the share of informal employment. Overall, the pandemic has had a significant impact on the labor market in Africa, leading to a general increase in informal sector employment. This could be due to various factors, such as job losses in the formal sector or the need for individuals to find alternative sources of income amidst economic uncertainty.