Female labor force participation rate in Nigeria
Nigeria: Female labor force participation rate was 80.7% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
80.7%
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
3rd
of 186 countries
All-time high
80.7%
in 2024
All-time low
74.6%
in 1990
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Female labor force participation rate in Nigeria, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, female labor force participation rate in Nigeria stood at 80.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in Nigeria peaked at 80.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 74.6%, in 1990.
Nigeria ranks 3rd of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Female labor force participation rate in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 74.6% | — |
| 1991 | 75.4% | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 76.3% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 76.8% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 77.5% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 77.7% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 77.6% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 77.6% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 77.6% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 77.6% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 77.6% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 77.4% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 77.4% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 77.1% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 77.0% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 76.8% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 76.7% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 76.7% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 76.6% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 76.5% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 76.4% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 75.9% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 75.9% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 75.8% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 75.7% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 75.8% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 75.9% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 76.2% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 76.4% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 76.6% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 74.9% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 75.9% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 76.9% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 80.7% | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 80.7% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 80.7% | -0.0% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 80.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.7%, 1.6× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 80.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 57.3%, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 76.9% | 74.6% | 77.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 77.0% | 76.5% | 77.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.0% | 75.7% | 76.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.3% | 74.9% | 80.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 1 Madagascar 82.9% compare
- 2 Solomon Islands 82.3% compare
- 4 Tanzania 80.3% compare
- 5 Burundi 79.5% compare
- 6 North Korea 77.7% compare
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 female labor force participation rate in Nigeria?
- Female labor force participation rate in Nigeria was 80.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 80.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 74.6% in 1990.
- How does Nigeria rank for female labor force participation rate?
- Nigeria ranks 3rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. 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 Female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).