Top 10 African countries that offer employees the most paid days off annually

Business Insider

07-08-2025

The idea of paid leave, time off from work while still receiving a salary, may appear simple, but it really represents a convoluted and sometimes uneven system that is influenced by social norms, corporate cultures, and legal frameworks.
Business Insider Africa presents the top 10 African countries that offer the most paid time off.
This list is courtesy of a report from Moorepay.
Libya ranks number 1 on the list.
Paid leave is far more than simply a benefit; it is a major factor in deciding an employee's long-term satisfaction, productivity, and health.
Vacation, parental leave, and other approved absences are all included in the broad category of paid leave.
Every kind has a distinct function, ranging from relaxation and renewal to recuperation from illnesses or meeting familial responsibilities.
Although everyone understands the concept of paid time off, its implementation varies greatly.
The structure and implementation of paid leave are among its most important features. In some situations, national labor laws provide and defend paid leave as a legal entitlement.
In others, it is a benefit provided at the employer's option, which results in a great deal of variation in who receives what and how much.
When variables like employment status, job seniority, and firm size are included, this discrepancy becomes much more noticeable.
For instance, full-time workers in professional professions frequently have better access to paid time off than do temporary or part-time workers.
Additionally, some companies reward long-term employees with more vacation time by tying leave benefits to years of service.
However, this arrangement can inadvertently deny younger or less experienced workers access to quality sleep, which might lead to stress and burnout at the beginning of their careers.
According to a report by Moorepay, around the world, there are significant differences in the amount of statutory paid leave provided between annual leave and public holidays.
In Africa, Libya has the most paid days off at 45 paid days per year. It is the second-highest in the world (behind Yemen with 46 days).
Liberia gets just 16 paid days off per year, the lowest in Africa. With that said, here is the list of the African countries that get the most paid time off.
Top 10 African countries that offer employees the most paid days off
Rank Country Number of paid days off in a year
1. Libya 45
2. Ivory Coast 42
3. Togo 41
Djibouti 41
4. Guinea 41
5. Central Africa Republic 37
6. Senegal 37
7. Benin 36
8. Guinea-Bissau 36
9. Gabon 36
10. South Sudan 36