Labor force with basic education in Nigeria

Nigeria: Labor force with basic education was 81.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
81.1%
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
5th
of 125 countries
All-time high
81.6%
in 2023
All-time low
35.4%
in 2016
Years of data
5
2016–2024

Labor force with basic education in Nigeria, 2016–2024

0204060802016202020242016: 35.4 % of total working-age population with basic education2019: 65.5 % of total working-age population with basic education2022: 80 % of total working-age population with basic education2023: 81.6 % of total working-age population with basic education2024: 81.1 % of total working-age population with basic education

Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total working-age population with basic education.

Analysis

Nigeria recorded 81.1% for labor force with basic education in 2024.

The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and up 128.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force with basic education in Nigeria peaked at 81.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 35.4%, in 2016.

Nigeria ranks 5th of 125 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

Labor force with basic education in Nigeria, year by year

Annual values for Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education) in Nigeria, 2016 to 2024.
Year % of total working-age population with basic education Change
2016 35.4%
2019 65.5% +84.7%
2022 80.0% +22.3%
2023 81.6% +1.9%
2024 81.1% -0.6%

Nigeria compared with similar countries

  • Nigeria's 81.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 58.0%, 1.4× the median. (26 countries reporting)
  • Nigeria's 81.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 60.3%, 1.3× the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 50.4% 35.4% 65.5% 2
2020s 80.9% 80.0% 81.6% 3

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 2 Qatar 91.6% compare
  2. 3 Saint Lucia 86.3% compare
  3. 4 Uganda 81.9% compare
  4. 6 Cambodia 80.3% compare
  5. 7 United Arab Emirates 74.3% compare
  6. 8 Bolivia 73.9% compare

See the full ranking of 144 places →

More work & labour data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force with basic education in Nigeria?
Labor force with basic education in Nigeria was 81.1% in 2024, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest labor force with basic education recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 81.6% in 2023.
What is the lowest labor force with basic education recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 35.4% in 2016.
How does Nigeria rank for labor force with basic education?
Nigeria ranks 5th out of 125 countries with data for 2024.
Is labor force with basic education rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 128.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Nigeria data come from?
The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Labor force with basic education in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labor-force-with-basic-education-percent-of-total-working-age-population-with-basic/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education)
Unit
% of total working-age population with basic education
Source
Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
144 places, 2,683 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

The ratio of the labor force with basic education to the working-age population with basic education. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).