Top 10 African Countries with the Shortest Work Weeks

Work hours differ a lot around the world, and some African countries are known for having shorter working weeks. 

This shorter work time helps improve workers’ quality of life and their productivity. In these places, people have a better balance between their work and personal life, which helps them feel better and do their jobs better. 

By working less, employees can enjoy their personal time more, which is good for them and also good for their communities and the economy. This shows that it’s important for countries to consider keeping work hours reasonable to help people live better and more balanced lives.

Here are the top 10 African countries where workers spend fewer hours at work each week:

Rwanda 

Leading with only 30.4 hours per week, Rwanda’s workforce experiences one of the shortest workweeks globally, ranking fourth. Strong labour policies promote a healthy balance between work and life.

Somalia  

Close behind with an average of 31.4 hours weekly, Somalia ranks fifth globally. The country maintains low working hours with only 10% of its workforce working over 49 hours per week.

Ethiopia 

Ethiopians work an average of 31.9 hours each week, making it ninth in the world. Despite the shorter workweek, around 15% of its workforce still works long hours.

Madagascar 

With an average workweek of 34.5 hours and only 10% working over 49 hours, Madagascar offers a commendable work-life balance, ranking 20th worldwide.

Democratic Republic of Congo 

Here, the average workweek is 36.3 hours, with 15% of the workforce working longer hours. It stands 34th in the global ranking.

Mozambique 

Workers in Mozambique log 36.4 hours per week on average, with 19% exceeding 49 hours. The country ranks 35th globally.

Comoros 

Comoros averages 37.8 hours per week, with about 13% of its workforce exceeding 49 hours, ranking 51st globally in maintaining a balanced work schedule.

Ghana 

Averaging 38.5 hours weekly, with 24% of its workers exceeding 49 hours, Ghana ranks 61st globally for shorter working hours.

Tanzania 

Tanzanian workers average 39.7 hours per week, with 28% working longer hours, placing the country 81st in the world.

Niger  

Also averaging 39.7 hours weekly, but with 29% working over 49 hours, Niger is closely behind Tanzania, ranking 83rd globally.