Statizoid

Employment rate in Nigeria

Nigeria: Employment rate 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 rate in Nigeria, 1991–2025

0204060801991200820251991: 79.2 %1992: 79.9 %1993: 80.1 %1994: 80.5 %1995: 80.6 %1996: 80.5 %1997: 80.5 %1998: 80.4 %1999: 80.3 %2000: 80.1 %2001: 79.9 %2002: 79.9 %2003: 79.7 %2004: 79.5 %2005: 79.1 %2006: 78.9 %2007: 78.7 %2008: 78.5 %2009: 78.5 %2010: 78.2 %2011: 78.1 %2012: 78 %2013: 77.8 %2014: 77.6 %2015: 77.5 %2016: 77.2 %2017: 77 %2018: 76.9 %2019: 76.8 %2020: 74.8 %2021: 75.8 %2022: 78.2 %2023: 80 %2024: 80.1 %2025: 80 %

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for employment rate in Nigeria is 80.0%, measured in 2025.

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 rate 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%.

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 186 places →

More work & labour data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is employment rate in Nigeria?
Employment rate in Nigeria was 80.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest employment rate recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 80.6% in 1995.
What is the lowest employment rate recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 74.8% in 2020.
How does Nigeria rank for employment rate?
Nigeria ranks 6th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
Is employment rate 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, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Employment rate
Unit
%
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 6,496 data points, 1991–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.