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

Nigeria: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) was 78.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
78.7%
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
10th
of 178 countries
All-time high
80.0%
in 2023
All-time low
54.7%
in 2003
Years of data
12
1983–2024

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Nigeria, 1983–2024

0204060801983200320241983: 56.71986: 552003: 54.72011: 58.12013: 57.62015: 69.12016: 69.32017: 69.92019: 682022: 78.22023: 802024: 78.7

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

The most recent figure for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Nigeria is 78.7%, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of down 1.6% on the previous year and up 36.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Nigeria peaked at 80.0% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 54.7%, in 2003.

Nigeria ranks 10th of 178 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate) in Nigeria, 1983 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1983 56.7%
1986 55.0% -3.1%
2003 54.7% -0.5%
2011 58.1% +6.3%
2013 57.6% -0.9%
2015 69.1% +20.0%
2016 69.3% +0.3%
2017 69.9% +0.9%
2019 68.0% -2.8%
2022 78.2% +15.0%
2023 80.0% +2.4%
2024 78.7% -1.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 55.8% 55.0% 56.7% 2
2000s 54.7% 54.7% 54.7% 1
2010s 65.3% 57.6% 69.9% 6
2020s 79.0% 78.2% 80.0% 3

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 7 Faroe Islands 79.6% compare
  2. 8 Niger 79.3% compare
  3. 9 Cayman Islands 79.3% compare
  4. 11 Burundi 77.7% compare
  5. 12 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 77.4% compare
  6. 13 Uganda 76.6% compare

See the full ranking of 209 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 78.7% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 80.0% in 2023.
What is the lowest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 54.7% in 2003.
How does Nigeria rank for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%)?
Nigeria ranks 10th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
Is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 36.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Nigeria data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/employment-to-population-ratio-15-total-percent-national-estimate/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
209 places, 4,960 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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