Labor participation rate, female in Nigeria

Nigeria: Labor participation rate, female was 52.5% in 2011. ▲ Rising

Latest (2011)
52.5%
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
39th
of 52 countries
All-time high
52.5%
in 2011
All-time low
47.8%
in 1990
Years of data
22
1990–2011

Labor participation rate, female in Nigeria, 1990–2011

02040601990200020111990: 47.8 % of female population ages 25-541991: 48.2 % of female population ages 25-541992: 48.6 % of female population ages 25-541993: 49.1 % of female population ages 25-541994: 49.5 % of female population ages 25-541995: 49.9 % of female population ages 25-541996: 50.4 % of female population ages 25-541997: 50.8 % of female population ages 25-541998: 51.2 % of female population ages 25-541999: 51.6 % of female population ages 25-542000: 50 % of female population ages 25-542001: 50.4 % of female population ages 25-542002: 50.9 % of female population ages 25-542003: 51.3 % of female population ages 25-542004: 51.8 % of female population ages 25-542005: 51.9 % of female population ages 25-542006: 51.9 % of female population ages 25-542007: 52 % of female population ages 25-542008: 52.1 % of female population ages 25-542009: 52.2 % of female population ages 25-542010: 52.3 % of female population ages 25-542011: 52.5 % of female population ages 25-54

Source: International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database. Measured in % of female population ages 25-54.

Analysis

Nigeria recorded 52.5% for labor participation rate, female in 2011. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 4.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor participation rate, female in Nigeria peaked at 52.5% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 47.8%, in 1990.

Nigeria ranks 39th of 52 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.

Labor participation rate, female in Nigeria, year by year

Annual values for Labor participation rate, female (% of female population ages 25-54) in Nigeria, 1990 to 2011.
Year % of female population ages 25-54 Change
1990 47.8%
1991 48.2% +0.8%
1992 48.6% +0.8%
1993 49.1% +1.0%
1994 49.5% +0.8%
1995 49.9% +0.8%
1996 50.4% +1.0%
1997 50.8% +0.8%
1998 51.2% +0.8%
1999 51.6% +0.8%
2000 50.0% -3.1%
2001 50.4% +0.9%
2002 50.9% +0.9%
2003 51.3% +0.9%
2004 51.8% +0.9%
2005 51.9% +0.1%
2006 51.9% +0.2%
2007 52.0% +0.2%
2008 52.1% +0.2%
2009 52.2% +0.2%
2010 52.3% +0.2%
2011 52.5% +0.2%

Nigeria compared with similar countries

  • Nigeria's 52.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 75.3%, 70% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
  • Nigeria's 52.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 77.5%, 68% of the median. (46 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 49.7% 47.8% 51.6% 10
2000s 51.5% 50.0% 52.2% 10
2010s 52.4% 52.3% 52.5% 2

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 36 Sao Tome and Principe 59.9% compare
  2. 37 Côte d'Ivoire 59.4% compare
  3. 38 Mauritius 58.5% compare
  4. 40 Eswatini 52.4% compare
  5. 41 Somalia 45.2% compare
  6. 42 Mali 43.4% compare

See the full ranking of 58 places →

More work & labour data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor participation rate, female in Nigeria?
Labor participation rate, female in Nigeria was 52.5% in 2011, according to International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database.
What is the highest labor participation rate, female recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 52.5% in 2011.
What is the lowest labor participation rate, female recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 47.8% in 1990.
How does Nigeria rank for labor participation rate, female?
Nigeria ranks 39th out of 52 countries with data for 2011.
Is labor participation rate, female rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Nigeria data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database, published as part of Labor participation rate, female (% of female population ages 25-54). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Labor participation rate, female in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labor-participation-rate-female-percent-of-female-population-ages-25-54/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Labor participation rate, female (% of female population ages 25-54)
Unit
% of female population ages 25-54
Source
International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
58 places, 1,270 data points, 1990–2011
Last refreshed

Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 25-54 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. The participation rates are harmonized to account for differences in national data collection and tabulation methodologies as well as for other country-specific factors such as military service requirements. The series includes both nationally reported and imputed data and only estimates that are national, meaning there are no geographic limitations in coverage.