Close to two million Ghanaians aged 15 to 35 were neither employed nor enrolled in education or training in the third quarter of 2025, with young women accounting for more than six in every 10 of them, according to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).
The figures underscore the challenge facing Ghana in turning its growing youth population into productive economic participants.
According to the GSS publication Ghana in Numbers 2025, the average rate of young people classified as not in employment, education or training (NEET) stood at 17.9% 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, required urgent attention.
“Close to two million young people are neither working nor in education or training, what we refer to as the NEET group, and more than six in ten of them are young women,” he said.
The report also highlights regional disparities, with the Central Region recording the highest NEET rate at 25.3%.
The rate stood at 20.6% in urban areas, compared with 18% in rural communities.
The findings come as Ghana’s youth population is estimated at 12 million in 2025, representing approximately one-third of the country’s population.
The GSS explained that the NEET category differs from unemployment alone, as it includes young people who are neither employed nor participating in education or training.
The Service said future editions of Ghana in Numbers would track youth unemployment, NEET rates, informal employment and the alignment between education and available jobs to inform planning and policy decisions.
