Working hours across Africa

by Grant Geraghty | Feb 26, 2026 | HR

The rhythm of the working day varies enormously across Africa's 54 nations.

The continent defies easy generalisation: it is home to some of the world's longest working hours (~50.8 hours in Sudan) and, in certain sectors, some of its most flexible informal arrangements (Flexible working arrangements are widespread in Africa, largely due to a dominant informal sector, where around 83 to 85% of jobs operate outside formal labour regulations and protections).

In this article, we take a closer look at how time at work is structured, regulated, and lived across all of Africa’s 54 diverse and fast-changing countries.

Country	Working hours
Algeria	40 hours per week (8 hours per day)
Angola	44 hours a week/8 hours a day (week can be extended to 54 hours or 9 hours per day.)
Benin	40 hours per week (8 hours per day)
Botswana	The work week is limited to 48 hours, with no more than 9 hours per day for a 5-day week, or 8 hours per day for a 6-day week.
Burkina Faso	The standard workweek is 40 hours (8 hours/day). Daily working time generally should not exceed 11 hours.
Burundi	40 hours per week (8 hours per day)
Cabo Verde	Typically 38 to 44 hours per week
Cameroon	Usually 40 hours a week for non-agricultural sectors and 48 hours for agriculture
Central African Republic	40 hours per week
Chad	The standard legal workweek for non-agricultural, private-sector employees is 39 hours.
Comoros	Working hours in Comoros are generally capped at 40 hours per week.
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Cannot exceed 45 hours per week and 9 hours per day
Republic of the Congo	40 hours a week (8 hours a day)
Côte d'Ivoire	Maximum of 40 hours/week
Djibouti	48 hours per week
Egypt	Maximum of 48 hours per week
Equatorial Guinea	The legal limit for working hours is 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, with any work beyond this considered overtime.
Eritrea	Standard working hours in Eritrea are generally 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week.
Eswatini	Standard working hours in Eswatini are typically 45 to 48 hours per week.
Ethiopia	A regular workday is 8 hours and a regular workweek is 48 hours.
Gabon	8 hours per day (40 hours per week)
Gambia	The official working hours are as follows: Monday through Thursday, from 08:00 to 16:00, and on Fridays, from 08:00 to 12:30, totalling 36.5 hours per week.
Ghana	Maximum of 40 hours/week
Guinea	In Guinea, the standard workweek is 40 to 48 hours.
Guinea-Bissau	In Guinea-Bissau, the standard workweek is generally capped at 45 hours.
Kenya	Ranges from 40 to 52 hours per week
Lesotho	45 hours per week
Liberia	8 hours per day or 48 hours per week
Libya	Standard working hours in Libya are generally 48 hours per week, with a maximum of 10 hours per day.
Madagascar	8 hours per day or 40 hours per week
Malawi	Not more than 48 hours per week or 8 hours per day.
Mali	40 hours per week
Mauritania	In Mauritania, the standard workweek is 40 hours.
Mauritius	The working day should not exceed 8 hours, and if the employee works 6 days per week, one of those days should not exceed 5 hours and the worker should be compensated for 8 hours
Morocco	44 hours per week, or 8 hours per day
Mozambique	8 hours per day or 48 hours per week
Namibia	In Namibia, normal working hours are regulated by the Labour Act, typically not exceeding 45 hours per week.
Niger	40 hours per week
Nigeria	Usually 40 hours a week
Rwanda	Ordinary working hours are 40 hours per week
Sao Tome and Principe	Working hours in Sao Tome and Principe typically consist of a standard 40-hour workweek.
Senegal	In general, Senegal’s work week is of 40 hours
Seychelles	By law, maximum working hours are 60 per week or 12 per day (excluding meal breaks), with a mandatory 24-hour rest period.
Sierra Leone	40 hours per week
Somalia	The standard work week in Somalia is 48 hours.
South Africa	In South Africa, standard working hours are regulated by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), allowing a maximum of 45 hours per week.
South Sudan	In South Sudan, standard working hours are generally 8 hours per day, totalling 40 to 48 hours per week.
Sudan	Official working hours in Sudan are generally 48 hours per week.
Tanzania	8 hours per day (not more than 45 hours a week).
Togo	40 hours per week
Tunisia	A work week is 5 days and should not exceed 48 hours
Uganda	Maximum of 48 hours/week
Zambia	A work week is 5 days and should not exceed 48 hours
Zimbabwe	8.5 hours per day and 44 hours per week

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do working hours vary significantly across African countries?

Yes. Weekly limits range from around 36.5 hours in Gambia to up to 48 hours in countries such as Egypt and Ethiopia, with some jurisdictions like Sudan recording among the longest average working weeks globally.

Is 40 hours per week the standard across Africa?

In many countries, including Ghana, Senegal and Rwanda, the legal workweek is set at 40 hours. However, several others permit 45 to 48 hours, depending on sector and national labour laws.

How common are flexible or informal working arrangements in Africa?

Very common. Across much of the continent, a large informal sector means many roles operate outside formal labour protections, resulting in widespread flexible and non-standard working hours beyond statutory limits.