Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) was 64.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in Nigeria, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in Nigeria stood at 64.7%. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in Nigeria peaked at 90.9% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 64.7%, in 2025.
Nigeria ranks 26th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 84.6% | — |
| 1991 | 86.9% | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 89.5% | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 90.4% | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 90.9% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 90.7% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 89.6% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 88.2% | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 87.1% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 85.9% | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 84.1% | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 83.2% | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 82.1% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 80.9% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 79.6% | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 78.3% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 76.2% | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 74.5% | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 73.5% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 74.7% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 73.5% | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 73.7% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 73.2% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 72.4% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 72.3% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 71.9% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 71.0% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 69.5% | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 68.6% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 67.5% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 65.5% | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 65.5% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 68.0% | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 64.9% | -4.6% |
| 2024 | 64.9% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 64.7% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 88.4% | 84.6% | 90.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.7% | 73.5% | 84.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.4% | 67.5% | 73.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.6% | 64.7% | 68.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 23 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 65.1% compare
- 24 Belize 65.1% compare
- 25 Central African Republic 64.9% compare
- 27 Saint Lucia 64.7% compare
- 28 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 64.3% compare
- 29 Pakistan 63.7% 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 labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in Nigeria?
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in Nigeria was 64.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 90.9% in 1994.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 64.7% in 2025.
- How does Nigeria rank for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%)?
- Nigeria ranks 26th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.