Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 82.5% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Nigeria, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 82.5% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Nigeria peaked at 84.1% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 79.3%, in 2020.
That places Nigeria 5th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 81.8% | — |
| 1991 | 82.4% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 83.0% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 83.4% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 84.0% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 84.1% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 83.9% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 83.8% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 83.7% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 83.6% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 83.4% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 83.2% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 82.9% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 82.7% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 82.4% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 82.2% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 82.0% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 81.8% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 81.6% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 81.5% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 81.3% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 81.1% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 81.1% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 80.8% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 80.8% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 80.8% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 80.8% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 80.9% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 81.0% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 81.0% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 79.3% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 80.1% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 81.3% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 82.6% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 82.6% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 82.5% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 83.4% | 81.8% | 84.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 82.4% | 81.5% | 83.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 81.0% | 80.8% | 81.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 81.4% | 79.3% | 82.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 2 Madagascar 85.5% compare
- 3 Solomon Islands 84.3% compare
- 4 Tanzania, United Republic of 83.7% compare
- 6 Cambodia 82.4% compare
- 7 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 82.2% compare
- 8 Uganda 80.0% 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, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Nigeria?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Nigeria was 82.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 84.1% in 1995.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 79.3% in 2020.
- How does Nigeria rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Nigeria ranks 5th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.1%. 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 Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.