Explore inequality of income across African countries

The Gender Gap tool uses Estimated Earned Income data from the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2025.

Estimated Earned Income (PPP, int’l $ 1,000) The estimated female earned income is a proxy for how much command women have over a country’s economic resources. For each country, it is computed using female and male shares of the economically active population, the ratio of the female to male wages (sourced from the ILO), gross domestic product valued at constant international dollars (IMF), and female and male shares of the population (World Bank)

The methodology used to compute this indicator is adapted from the methodology developed by the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report Office for computing the Gender Development Index (UNDP, 2021-2022, pages 6-7). Female and male wage measures used in the computation of the gender wage ratio correspond to the mean nominal monthly earnings of female and male employees, respectively. In the absence of wage data, a gender wage ratio of 0.75 is used in the computation of the wage bill. ILO’s measure of earning corresponds to the mean of the monthly earnings of all employees in nominal terms. The earnings of employees relate to the gross remuneration in cash and in kind paid to employees, as a rule at regular intervals, for time worked or work done, together with remuneration for time not worked, such as annual vacation, other types of paid leave or holidays. Earnings exclude employers’ contributions to employees’ social security and pension schemes, and also the benefits received by employees under these schemes. Earnings also exclude severance and termination pay. Statistics of earnings relate to the gross remuneration of employees, i.e. the total before the employer makes any deductions. The measurement period of this indicator corresponds to that of the wage data. In the Economy Profiles, values reported are the estimated average annual earned income per capita in constant international dollars for women and men, respectively, and the ratio of the two values.

GenderGap.AFRICA isn’t designed to give breakdowns for each industry: it instead captures the average gender gap across all sectors within a country. Gender gap here represents the gap between men and women in pay. Country resources and opportunities are not equally distributed between women and men, causing the gender pay gap. Even though qualified women are coming out of the education system, many industries are failing to hire, retain and promote them, losing out on a wealth of capacity.

According to the report, women are increasingly outperforming men at tertiary education levels. However, they remain underrepresented in the workforce and in leadership roles. The mismatch highlights systemic inefficiencies in translating skill preparedness into economic engagement and leadership. Women in cabinet positions are still most commonly appointed to portfolios related to gender, health and social affairs, while they remain underrepresented in ministries that shape economic strategy, defence and infrastructure, thereby having economic consequences.

The gender pay gap is a culmination of many factors, creating a glass ceiling that prevents women from exercising equal economic rights. Some regions will have their gender gaps narrow faster than others. Based on the collective speed of progress, it will take 123 years to reach full parity globally, while Sub-Saharan Africa is due to achieve parity in 107 years, while projections for North Africa (& the Middle East) note that closing the gaps will take 185 years.

The data used in this tool can be found for each country in the Global Gender Gap Report, 2025.

“When women and girls are not integrated—as both beneficiary and shaper—the global community loses out on skills, ideas and perspectives that are critical for addressing global challenges and harnessing new opportunities.” - Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chair of the World Economic Forum.