The Private Sector has topped ugandas job market,Uganda Bureau of Statistics National Human Resource Survey 2023–2024 report has indicated .
The report that gives insights into Uganda’s evolving labor market, shows that there was rapid growth in private sector employment with female participation in the job market..
The report estimates that over 22 million Ugandans were employed in 2023, with the private sector employing more than three times as many people as the public sector.
“The majority of employed individuals work in the private sector—more than three times the number employed in the public sector,”UBOS Head of Risk and Compliance, Mulindwa Mubiru Matovu said.
According to him Key employment sectors include education, trade, manufacturing, and financial services meanwhile Employment is largely non-permanent, with most workers engaged under fixed-term contracts, followed by casual labor.
Despite growth in formal employment, the informal sector remains the largest employer, with approximately 7 million workers.
“Within the informal sector, most workers are business owners, followed by paid employees and contributing family workers,” Matovu noted.
Interestingly, the report shows a shift in the formal sector, where women now outnumber men, reversing previous trends.
The findings indicate that the 31–64 age group forms the largest share of the workforce, followed by youth aged 18–30. In the formal sector, however, youth dominate employment.
“The majority of formal sector workers are youth aged 18 to 30,” Matovu said.
The survey also highlights improvements in workplace policies and employee welfare. Occupational health and safety compliance has significantly improved over time.
“The percentage of workplaces with safety policies increased from 19% in 2016–17 to 53% today,” Matovu revealed.
The report projects significant job creation in the coming years, particularly in the private sector.
“Between 2023 and 2025, approximately 618,503 new jobs are expected to be created in the private sector,” Matovu said.
This underscores the sector’s critical role in absorbing Uganda’s growing labor force.
UBOS Executive Director, Dr. Chris Mukiza, emphasized the importance of the report in shaping national planning, noting that it provides a comprehensive picture of the country’s human capital.
“This national Human Resource Survey will offer the country comprehensive statistics on human resource capacity, the quality of manpower graduating from our training institutions, deployment patterns, skills gaps, job mismatches, job creation, and a clear picture of employment in both the informal and formal sectors,” Dr. Mukiza said.
He explained that the survey, previously known as the Manpower Survey, was renamed to promote inclusivity following concerns raised globally about gender-sensitive terminology.
“Historically, human resources were referred to as the Manpower Survey. However, due to concerns raised by women regarding inclusivity, the global community agreed to adopt the term ‘Human Resource Survey,’” he added.
Dr. Mukiza urged stakeholders to utilize the data for informed decision-making.
“We invite everyone to utilize these data and statistics for evidence-based planning, policy formulation, project management, and monitoring outcomes,” he said.
UBOS Head of Risk and Compliance, Mulindwa Mubiru Matovu,said Uganda’s human resource pipeline is heavily driven by private institutions.
“The majority of enrollment occurs in private institutions, which enroll more than twice the number of students compared to government institutions,” Matovu said.
The survey shows that total enrollment in tertiary institutions reached 484,746 students in 2023, continuing a steady upward trend from previous years. Vocational and technical institutions recorded the highest enrollment numbers, followed by universities and business colleges.
However, universities remain the largest contributors to the country’s skilled workforce.
“Universities and their affiliated colleges enroll the largest number of students in terms of future human resource contribution, even though vocational institutions are more numerous,” he explained.
One of the standout findings is the growing participation of women in education. The report indicates that female enrollment and graduation rates are slightly higher than those of males across most tertiary institutions.
“When disaggregated by sex, there is evidence of affirmative action—slightly more females are enrolled than males,” Matovu noted.
This trend is particularly pronounced at university level, signaling progress in gender inclusion within higher education.
The survey also recorded a steady rise in the number of graduates, with private institutions producing the majority due to higher enrollment.
“Universities and vocational technical institutions produce the largest share of graduates—these are the primary sources feeding into the labor market,” Matovu said.
However, despite the growing number of graduates, the report raises concerns about Skills Mismatch thaf remains a Major Challenge
“While most workers meet the academic qualifications required for their jobs, employers report significant gaps in practical and soft skills,”Matovu explained.
“At least 9 out of every 10 individuals in professional roles have the appropriate educational qualifications. However, one area where mismatches are evident pertains to skills lacking include:Managerial and leadership abilities,Innovation and creativity,Communication and customer care,Information technology (IT) skills,”he stressed.
He noted that in management positions, employees are expected to have managerial, innovation, creativity, communication, and customer care skills. Unfortunately, employers report that these skills are often lacking,” he added.
UBOS Board Chairperson, Dr. Albert Byamugisha, said the findings are essential for tracking national and global development goals.
“This data is crucial for monitoring progress on employment levels, decent work, occupational health standards, gender inclusion, and social security mechanisms,” Dr. Byamugisha said.
He added that the report will support Uganda’s efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 8 on decent work and economic growth, as well as guide policy interventions.
“By producing this report and making this data accessible, the Bureau addresses our need for consistent, disaggregated statistics to ensure no one is left behind,” he emphasized.
