Minimum wage across 54 African countries: What Employers need to know
Expanding operations to Africa? Naturally, costs come on top of your considerations as a business. Cost calculation includes many expenses, chief of which is labour. Knowing what the minimum wage is in the African country you expand to is crucial, firstly for compliance and secondly to scale salaries and offer competitive rates by having a local frame of reference.
In this article, we go over the minimum wage statutory requirements across ALL of Africa.
Why is it important to comply with minimal wage requirements in Africa?
Compliance is key when expanding to Africa. Not complying with minimal wage requirements could cost you much more than the amount you would have paid initially, had you respected the minimum salary demands of the country. Non-compliance leads to fines, legal actions, and a poor employer reputation, as well as damaged employee trust – which leads to high turnover rates, which eventually winds up costing your business even more money, as well as time and other resources.
Complying with minimal wage requirements will keep you away from legal trouble but will also help you to respect workers’ rights and dignity, ensuring satisfaction and productivity.
Minimal wage requirements across Africa*
*accurate as of November 2024
| Country | Minimum wage | Amount in USD |
| Angola | AOA70,000.00/month and AOA50,000.00/month in microenterprises | $76.75/month and $54.82/month in microenterprises |
| Cameroon | FCFA43,969.00/month | $70.63/month |
| Central African Republic | FCFA35,000/ month | $56.22/month |
| Chad | FCFA303/hour for the agricultural sector and other similar sectors
FCFA355/hour for all other sectors |
$0.49/hour for the agricultural sector and other similar sectors
$0.57/hour for all other sectors |
| Democratic Republic of Congo | CDF7,075.00/day | $2.49/day |
| Equatorial Guinea | FCFA129,035/month | $208.38/month |
| Gabon | FCFA150,000 per month | $242.24/month |
| Republic of Congo | CDF7,075.00/day | $2.49/day |
| Sao Tome & Principe | STN2,500.00/month | $106.90/month |
| Country | Minimum wage | Amount in USD |
| Botswana | BWP9.06/hour in the:
· Construction of buildings, Exploration and Quarrying Industries sector · Wholesale Distributive Trades sector · Hotel, Catering and Entertainment sector · Garage, Motor Trade and Road Transport sector · Manufacturing, Service and Repair Trades sector · Retail Distributive Trades sector · Watchmen Employed in Industries and Trades sector · Security Guards Employed by Security Companies BWP1,500.00/month for: · Domestic Service Sector · Agriculture, forestry and fishing |
$0.67/hour in the:
· Construction of buildings, Exploration and Quarrying Industries sector · Wholesale Distributive Trades sector · Hotel, Catering and Entertainment sector · Garage, Motor Trade and Road Transport sector · Manufacturing, Service and Repair Trades sector · Retail Distributive Trades sector · Watchmen Employed in Industries and Trades sector · Security Guards Employed by Security Companies $110.48/month for: · Domestic Service Sector · Agriculture, forestry and fishing |
| Lesotho | 1881.00 LSL/month | $104.36/month |
| Mozambique | · Industrial Fishing: MZN 6,531.79/month
· Kapenta Fishing: MZN 4,941.68/month · Extractive Industry - Large Mining Companies: MZN 14,183.80/month · Extractive Industry - Quarries, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises: MZN 7,700.00/month · Extractive Industry - Salt Extraction Industry: MZN 6,335.00/month · Manufacturing - Industrial Sector: MZN 9,497.50/month · Manufacturing - Bakery Sector: MZN 6,800.00/month · Electricity, Gas, and Water - Big Companies: MZN 11,625.00/month · Electricity, Gas, and Water - Small Businesses: MZN 9,433.30/month · Construction: MZN 8,000.00/month · Non-financial Services Activities: MZN 9,560.00/month · Financial Services - Banks and Insurance Companies: MZN 17,881.32/month · Financial Services - Micro-finance, Micro-insurance, and Auxiliary Activities: MZN 15,741.29/month · Hotel Industry: MZN 8,900.00/month · Public Administration, Defence, and Security (Effective January 1, 2023): MZN 8,758.00/month |
· Industrial Fishing: $ 102.18/month
· Kapenta Fishing: $ 77.30/month · Extractive Industry - Large Mining Companies: $ 221.88/month · Extractive Industry - Quarries, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises: $ 120.45/month · Extractive Industry - Salt Extraction Industry: $ 99.10/month · Manufacturing - Industrial Sector: $148.57/month · Manufacturing - Bakery Sector: $ 106.37/month · Electricity, Gas, and Water - Big Companies: $181.85/month · Electricity, Gas, and Water - Small Businesses: /month · Construction: $125.15/month · Non-financial Services Activities: $149.55/month · Financial Services - Banks and Insurance Companies: $279.72/month · Financial Services - Micro-finance, Micro-insurance, and Auxiliary Activities: $246.25/month · Hotel Industry: $139.23/month Public Administration, Defence, and Security (Effective January 1, 2023): $137/month |
| Namibia | Domestic Workers:
|
Domestic Workers:
|
| South Africa | All Workers, Exempt: ZAR 27.58/hour
Farm Workers: ZAR 27.58/hour Domestic Workers: ZAR 27.58/hour Workers Employed on an Expanded Public Works Programme: ZAR 15.16/hour |
All Workers, Exempt: $1.53/hour
Farm Workers: $1.53/hour Domestic Workers: $1.53/hour Workers Employed on an Expanded Public Works Programme: $0.84/hour |
| Eswatini | As from SZL1,430/month | As from $79.38/month |
| Zambia | · Domestic worker: ZMW1,300.00/month (including ZMW200.00 of transport allowance)
· Shop worker: As from ZMW2,313.10 · General worker: As from ZMW2,313.10 |
· Domestic worker: $47.37/month (including $7.29 of transport allowance)
· Shop worker: As from $84.29 · General worker: As from $84.29 |
| Zimbabwe | Minimum recommended wage set at US$150/month |
| Country | Minimum wage | Amount in USD |
| Burundi | Rural areas: BIF105/day
Bujumbura, Gitega: BIF160/day |
Rural areas: $0.036/day
Bujumbura, Gitega: $0.054/day |
| Djibouti | Public and Private Sector: DJF35,000/month | Public and Private Sector: $197.50/month |
| Eritrea | Public sector: ERN360.00/month | Public sector: $24/month |
| Ethiopia | As from ETB420.00/month and depending on role | As from $3.41/month and depending on role |
| Kenya | As from KES75.94/hour | As from $0.59/hour |
| Malawi | · In urban areas: MWK3,461.54/day or MWK90,000.04/month
· In rural areas: MWK3,461.54/day MWK90,000.04/month · Truck driver international for 30 tonnes and above: MWK234,500.00 · Truck driver local for 30 tonnes and above: MWK167,500.00 · Truck driver below 30 tonnes: MWK100,500.00 |
· In urban areas: $2.01/day or $52.15/month
· In rural areas: $2.01/day or $52.15/month · Truck driver international for 30 tonnes and above: $135.88 · Truck driver local for 30 tonnes and above: $97.06 · Truck driver below 30 tonnes: $58.24 |
| Rwanda | RWF100/day | $ 0.073/day |
| Somalia | No statutory minimal wage | No statutory minimal wage |
| Tanzania | As from TZS718.00/hour | As from $0.27/hour |
| Uganda | UGX130,000/month | $35.57/month |
| Country | Minimum wage | Amount in USD |
| Algeria | DZD20,000.00/month | $149.92/month |
| Egypt | EGP6,000.00/month | $121.34/month |
| Libya | LYD1,000.000/month | $205.74/month |
| Morocco | · Public sector: MAD4,000.00
· Private sector: MAD3,120.00 · Agricultural sector: MAD2,303.00 |
· Public sector: $401.43
· Private sector: $313.11 · Agricultural sector: $231.12 |
| South Sudan | No statutory minimal wage | No statutory minimal wage |
| Sudan | SDG3,000.00/month for civil servants | $4.99/month for civil servants |
| Tunisia | · Agricultural workers: TND18.904/day
· Non-Agricultural workers in 40 Hours System: TND2.409/hour or TND417.558/month · Non-Agricultural workers in 48 Hours System: TND2.363/hour or TND491.504/month |
· Agricultural workers: $6.01/day
· Non-Agricultural workers in 40 Hours System: $0.77/hour or $132.75/month · Non-Agricultural workers in 48 Hours System: $0.75/hour or $156.25/month |
| Country | Minimum wage | Amount in USD |
| Benin | FCFA52,000/month | $83.98/month |
| Burkina Faso | · Farm workers:
F CFA1,918/8-hour day or F CFA240/hour · All workers except farm workers: F CFA45,000/month or F CFA260/hour |
· Farm workers:
$3.10/8-hour day or $0.39/hour · All workers except farm workers: $72.67/month or $0.42/hour |
| Cabo Verde | CVE15,000.00/month | $144.10/month |
| Gambia | GMD50.00/day | $0.70/day |
| Ghana | GHS18.15/day | $1.14/day |
| Guinea Conakry | GNF550,000/month | $64.14/month |
| Guinea Bissau | F CFA59,000/month | $95.28/month |
| Ivory Coast | Agriculture sector: F CFA39,960/month
All sectors aside from the agricultural sector: F CFA75,000/month |
Agriculture sector: $64.53/month
All sectors aside from the agricultural sector: $121.12/month |
| Liberia | · Unskilled labourers: $0.68/hour or $5.50/day
· Domestic worker/casual worker: $0.43/hour or $3.50/day |
|
| Mali | F CFA231/hour or F CFA40,000/month | $0.37/hour or $64.60/month |
| Mauritania | MRU45,000.00/month | $1134.08/month |
| Niger | F CFA42,000/month | $67.83/month |
| Nigeria | NGN70,000.00/month | $41.97/month |
| Senegal | · Agricultural sector and similar: F CFA237
· Non-agricultural sector: F CFA371 |
· Agricultural sector and similar: $0.38
· Non-agricultural sector: $0.60 |
| Sierra Leone | SLE800.00/month | $35.32/month |
| Togo | Manual workers: F CFA52,500 | Manual workers: $84.78 |
| Country | Minimum wage | Amount in USD |
| Comoros | KMF55,000/month | $118.34/month |
| Madagascar | As from MGA1,152 | As from $0.25 |
| Seychelles | All casual workers: SCR44.10/hour
All workers except casual workers: SCR38.27/hour |
All casual workers: $3.24/hour
All workers except casual workers: $2.81/hour |
| Mauritius | · Unskilled worker in Export Processing Zone (EPZ): MUR15,000.00
· Unskilled factory worker outside Export Processing Zone (EPZ): MUR 15,000.00 · Positions requiring a Higher School Certificate, a two-year diploma, or a three-year post-School Certificate diploma from a recognized institution: MUR 23,000/month · Positions requiring a degree: MUR 25,000/month |
· Unskilled worker in Export Processing Zone (EPZ): $324.27
· Unskilled factory worker outside Export Processing Zone (EPZ): $324.27 · Positions requiring a Higher School Certificate, a two-year diploma, or a three-year post-School Certificate diploma from a recognized institution: $497.21/month · Positions requiring a degree: $540.44/month |
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