What is unemployment rate in Nigeria?

Unemployment rate in Nigeria was 22.56 in 2018, according to International Monetary Fund.

What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Nigeria?

The highest recorded value was 22.56 in 2018.

What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Nigeria?

The lowest recorded value was 5.09 in 2010.

How does Nigeria rank for unemployment rate?

Nigeria ranks 1st out of 22 countries with data for 2018.

Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Nigeria?

Over the last ten years it is up 343.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Nigeria data come from?

The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Unemployment rate (9/26/2025). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Unemployment rate in Nigeria

Name: Unemployment rate in Nigeria
Creator: International Monetary Fund
License: IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required)

Nigeria: Unemployment rate was 22.56 in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)

22.56

Change on year

up 29.2%

World rank

1st

of 22 countries

All-time high

22.56

in 2018

All-time low

5.09

in 2010

Years of data

2010–2018

Unemployment rate in Nigeria, 2010–2018

Source: International Monetary Fund.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Nigeria is 22.56, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 29.2% on the previous year and up 343.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Nigeria peaked at 22.56 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 5.09, in 2010.

Nigeria ranks 1st of 22 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

Countries ranked near Nigeria

2 Spain 9.96 compare
3 Egypt 9.45 compare
4 Türkiye 9.14 compare

See the full ranking of 22 places →

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)

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rate in Nigeria?: Unemployment rate in Nigeria was 22.56 in 2018, according to International Monetary Fund.
What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Nigeria?: The highest recorded value was 22.56 in 2018.
What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Nigeria?: The lowest recorded value was 5.09 in 2010.
How does Nigeria rank for unemployment rate?: Nigeria ranks 1st out of 22 countries with data for 2018.
Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Nigeria?: Over the last ten years it is up 343.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Nigeria data come from?: The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Unemployment rate (9/26/2025). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment rate in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-rate-9-26-2025/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator: Unemployment rate (9/26/2025)
Source: International Monetary Fund
Licence: IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage: 22 places, 903 data points, 1980–2031
Last refreshed: 19 August 2026

The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database is created during the biannual WEO exercise, which begins in January and June of each year and results in the April and September/October WEO publication. Selected series from the publication are available in a database format.