How many workers in North Africa were employers?

Tunisia had the widest 2025 gap in the group

Tunisia’s estimated male employer share was 8.48%, compared with 3.22% among employed women. The 5.26-point difference was larger than Algeria’s 2.96-point gap and Morocco’s 1.56-point gap. Source 1 Source 2

Morocco’s two rates moved closer than in 2015

The estimated female employer share increased from 3.22% in 2015 to 3.31% in 2025. The male share fell from 5.24% to 4.87%. The gap narrowed because the two measures moved in opposite directions. Source 1 Source 2

Egypt’s rates fell over the decade

Egypt’s modelled female share fell from 2.64% in 2015 to 1.04% in 2025. The male share fell from 12.56% to 3.50%. There was a sizeable shift in the estimates between 2020 and 2021, so the table preserves the observations rather than assuming a smooth decline. Source 1 Source 2

The category describes a person’s employment status

Employers are people who work for themselves, with one or more other people employed to work for them on an ongoing basis. The rates do not show how many businesses were incorporated, the share of business owners who are women or the number of employees they hired. Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

Sources

• ILO modelled estimates via World Bank, female employers
• ILO modelled estimates via World Bank, male employers
• International Labour Organization, employment statistics and classification