Job advertisements fall 16.8% in April 2026 – BoG

The number of jobs advertised across selected print and online media declined in April 2026, signalling a slowdown in labour demand compared with the same period last year, according to the May 2026 Monetary Policy Report.

The report showed that a total of 2,818 job vacancies were advertised in April 2026, down from 3,388 recorded in April 2025. This represents a year-on-year decline of 16.8%.

On a monthly basis, advertised job vacancies also fell by 5.7%, dropping from 2,988 in March 2026 to 2,818 in April.

The downward trend was also reflected in the cumulative figures for the first four months of the year. Between January and April 2026, a total of 12,326 job advertisements were recorded, compared with 13,036 during the corresponding period in 2025, representing a 5.4% decline.

Despite the fall in advertised vacancies, employment conditions showed signs of improvement based on data from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).

The report indicated that the number of private sector SSNIT contributors increased by 5.4% year-on-year to 1,135,379 in March 2026, up from 1,077,569 recorded in March 2025.

On a month-on-month basis, the number of private sector contributors remained relatively stable, rising marginally from 1,132,225 in February 2026 to 1,135,379 in March 2026.

The Monetary Policy Report noted that while advertised job vacancies—used as a partial indicator of labour demand—weakened during the period, the steady growth in private sector SSNIT contributors suggests continued resilience in formal sector employment.

Prince Antwi

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