Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Nigeria

Nigeria: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) was 80.0% in 2025. ▬ Flat

Latest (2025)
80.0%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
6th
of 186 countries
All-time high
80.6%
in 1995
All-time low
74.8%
in 2020
Years of data
35
1991–2025

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Nigeria, 1991–2025

0204060801991200820251991: 79.21992: 79.91993: 80.11994: 80.51995: 80.61996: 80.51997: 80.51998: 80.41999: 80.32000: 80.12001: 79.92002: 79.92003: 79.72004: 79.52005: 79.12006: 78.92007: 78.72008: 78.52009: 78.52010: 78.22011: 78.12012: 782013: 77.82014: 77.62015: 77.52016: 77.22017: 772018: 76.92019: 76.82020: 74.82021: 75.82022: 78.22023: 802024: 80.12025: 80

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

In 2025, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Nigeria stood at 80.0%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Nigeria peaked at 80.6% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 74.8%, in 2020.

Nigeria ranks 6th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Nigeria, year by year

Annual values for Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) in Nigeria, 1991 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1991 79.2%
1992 79.9% +0.8%
1993 80.1% +0.2%
1994 80.5% +0.6%
1995 80.6% +0.1%
1996 80.5% -0.1%
1997 80.5% -0.0%
1998 80.4% -0.1%
1999 80.3% -0.1%
2000 80.1% -0.2%
2001 79.9% -0.2%
2002 79.9% -0.1%
2003 79.7% -0.3%
2004 79.5% -0.2%
2005 79.1% -0.5%
2006 78.9% -0.3%
2007 78.7% -0.2%
2008 78.5% -0.2%
2009 78.5% -0.1%
2010 78.2% -0.3%
2011 78.1% -0.2%
2012 78.0% -0.1%
2013 77.8% -0.2%
2014 77.6% -0.3%
2015 77.5% -0.2%
2016 77.2% -0.3%
2017 77.0% -0.3%
2018 76.9% -0.2%
2019 76.8% -0.1%
2020 74.8% -2.6%
2021 75.8% +1.4%
2022 78.2% +3.1%
2023 80.0% +2.4%
2024 80.1% +0.0%
2025 80.0% -0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 80.2% 79.2% 80.6% 9
2000s 79.3% 78.5% 80.1% 10
2010s 77.5% 76.8% 78.2% 10
2020s 78.1% 74.8% 80.1% 6

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 3 Madagascar 82.9% compare
  2. 4 Tanzania 82.4% compare
  3. 5 Cambodia 82.2% compare
  4. 7 Niger 79.4% compare
  5. 8 North Korea 79.2% compare
  6. 9 Uganda 77.8% compare

See the full ranking of 234 places →

More work & labour data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Nigeria?
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Nigeria was 80.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 80.6% in 1995.
What is the lowest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 74.8% in 2020.
How does Nigeria rank for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%)?
Nigeria ranks 6th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
Is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
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 to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/employment-to-population-ratio-15-total-percent-modeled-ilo-estimate/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate)
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
234 places, 8,176 data points, 1991–2025
Last refreshed

Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.