Employment in services (% of total employment) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Employment in services (% of total employment) was 49.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Nigeria, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in services (% of total employment) in Nigeria is 49.5%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in Nigeria peaked at 49.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 36.1%, in 1991.
That places Nigeria 133rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 36.1% | — |
| 1992 | 36.4% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 36.5% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 36.6% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 36.7% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 36.9% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 37.1% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 37.5% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 37.8% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 38.3% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 38.6% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 38.6% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 39.1% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 39.9% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 40.4% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 41.0% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 41.6% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 42.1% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 42.6% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 43.3% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 44.0% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 44.3% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 44.6% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 45.4% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 46.0% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 46.4% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 46.8% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 47.2% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 47.7% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 46.7% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 47.1% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 47.9% | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 48.5% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 49.1% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 49.5% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 36.8% | 36.1% | 37.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 40.2% | 38.3% | 42.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.6% | 43.3% | 47.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.1% | 46.7% | 49.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More work & labour data for Nigeria
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0306 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0025 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0591 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.3624 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.71 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 287,130 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 123,508 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 237,227 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 239,521 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 476,748 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in services (% of total employment) in Nigeria?
- Employment in services (% of total employment) in Nigeria was 49.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 49.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.1% in 1991.
- How does Nigeria rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
- Nigeria ranks 133rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The services sector consists of wholesale and retail trade and restaurants and hotels; transport, storage, and communications; financing, insurance, real estate, and business services; and community, social, and personal services, in accordance with divisions 6-9 (ISIC 2) or categories G-Q (ISIC 3) or categories G-U (ISIC 4).