Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Nigeria
Nigeria: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates was 95.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Nigeria, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Nigeria is 95.7%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Nigeria peaked at 95.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 83.7%, in 1990.
Nigeria ranks 6th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 83.7% | — |
| 1991 | 84.2% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 84.8% | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 85.0% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 85.6% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 85.8% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 85.8% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 86.1% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 86.3% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 86.6% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 86.9% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 86.9% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 87.4% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 87.4% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 87.6% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 87.6% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 88.0% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 88.3% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 88.4% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 88.3% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 88.6% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 88.0% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 88.1% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 88.2% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 88.2% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 88.3% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 88.5% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 89.0% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 89.3% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 89.7% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 89.5% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 90.0% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 89.9% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 95.6% | +6.3% |
| 2024 | 95.6% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 95.7% | +0.1% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 95.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 77.8%, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 95.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 86.1%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 85.4% | 83.7% | 86.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 87.7% | 86.9% | 88.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 88.6% | 88.0% | 89.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 92.7% | 89.5% | 95.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 3 Benin 96.9% compare
- 4 Togo 95.9% compare
- 5 Mozambique 95.7% compare
- 7 Solomon Islands 95.5% compare
- 8 Papua New Guinea 95.4% compare
- 9 Sao Tome and Principe 95.0% 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 ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Nigeria?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Nigeria was 95.7% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 95.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 83.7% in 1990.
- How does Nigeria rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates?
- Nigeria ranks 6th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This ratio is calculated by dividing the labor force participation rate among women by the corresponding rate for men. The labor force participation rate is the share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).