Labor force participation rate in Nigeria
Nigeria: Labor force participation rate was 82.5% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
82.5%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
5th
of 186 countries
All-time high
84.1%
in 1995
All-time low
79.3%
in 2020
Years of data
36
1990–2025
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
Nigeria recorded 82.5% for labor force participation rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Nigeria peaked at 84.1% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 79.3%, in 2020.
Nigeria ranks 5th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Labor force participation rate in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | 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% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 82.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 57.7%, 1.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 82.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.3%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
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 83.7% compare
- 6 Cambodia 82.4% compare
- 7 North Korea 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 in Nigeria?
- Labor force participation rate in Nigeria was 82.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 84.1% in 1995.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 79.3% in 2020.
- How does Nigeria rank for labor force participation rate?
- Nigeria ranks 5th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate 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, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).