This note provides a brief overview of current research and knowledge on employment trends and
employment creation in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim is to reflect on our present state of knowledge,
identify gaps in our knowledge and understanding, and to contribute to evidence-based policy debates.
The emphasis is on the productive and sustainable nature of employment, rather than on the quantity
of labour demand, or the rate of unemployment. This is a result of the specific situation in SubSaharan
Africa (SSA), where the employment problem is more one of job quality, than job quantity.
The employment problem does not primarily manifest itself as open unemployment, but as vulnerable
and low quality employment. Open unemployment is scarce in Africa, but very large numbers of the
working population are employed in agricultural and the informal service sector where productivity is
low and there is a high degree of job vulnerability.