Kenya leads the continent’s two largest economies, South Africa and Nigeria, in the online gig economy, according to data from JobLeads, a South African online job search platform.
The platform examined data from the Online Labour Observatory and the World Bank Group to identify the leading countries in the online gig-work space.
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), the gig economy is a system where digital platforms link freelancers with clients for short-term services or asset-sharing arrangements. In 2024, the gig economy was valued at $556.7 billion, with projections indicating it could grow over threefold to reach $1.847 trillion by 2030.
According to Martin Schmidt, Co-Founder and Managing Director of JobLeads, looking at the wider African continent:
- Kenya has emerged as a powerhouse in Africa’s online gig scene, experiencing a staggering 216% growth in online freelancers over the past five years
- Nigeria follows closely, with an impressive 130% increase
- South Africa, on the other hand, has seen a more modest 9% growth in its online freelancing workforce, lagging behind its African counterparts.
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Despite this:
- South Africa still commands a share of 0.17% of the global freelance market, trailing behind
- Kenya (0.37%) and
- Nigeria (0.27%), but slightly ahead of countries like
- Egypt and Cameroon, both at 0.11%
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On a global level, although the U.S. has seen an 8% decline in remote freelancing over the past five years, it still leads the global gig economy. Gen Z is at the forefront, with 52% opting for freelance work over traditional 9-to-5 jobs in pursuit of flexibility.
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Spain follows in second place, having increased its global freelance market share by 39% in five years. The country now accounts for 6.98% of global online freelance activity, with growing enthusiasm for gig work, according to JobLeads.
“The gig economy is booming worldwide, with the number of gig workers expected to rise by over 30 million in the next year alone. This rapid growth reflects a fundamental shift in how people approach work – flexibility and autonomy are no longer just perks but non-negotiables for today’s workforce,” says Schmidt.
“Especially among younger generations like Gen Z, professionals are increasingly drawn to the freedom that gig work offers. From choosing their own projects, to working remotely, this empowers individuals to take control of their careers. At the same time, businesses benefit from a global pool of skilled talent that freelancers bring to the table.”
In 2021, as reported by BitKE, The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) revealed that online workers in Kenya made up about 5% of the population with an average earning of $188 per month at the time.
The survey also made several important findings about online employment:
- 1,209,506 people (5% of the Kenyan population) are online workers
- 402, 284 were female
- 1,007,277 were between 18-35 years old
The report did a further breakdown of online workers and their skills:
- 461,253 digital marketers
- 141,021 transcribers
- 250,000 article writers
- 76,291 software developers
- 64,100 data scientists
Critically, the survey found:
- 31% of people work online because of lack of formal employment
- 21% prefer online work because it provides convenience and flexibility
- 18% work online because it makes it possible to work part-time
