Unemployment rate in Nigeria
Nigeria: Unemployment rate was 3.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Nigeria, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 3.1% for unemployment rate in 2025.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and down 25.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Nigeria peaked at 5.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 2024.
Nigeria ranks 143rd of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.8% | — |
| 1992 | 3.8% | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 4.0% | +6.1% |
| 1994 | 4.1% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 4.2% | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 4.0% | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 4.0% | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 3.9% | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 4.0% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 4.0% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 3.9% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 3.7% | -5.9% |
| 2003 | 3.6% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 3.6% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 3.7% | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 3.7% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 3.8% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 3.8% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 3.8% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 3.7% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 3.8% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 3.8% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 3.7% | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 3.9% | +5.1% |
| 2015 | 4.1% | +6.0% |
| 2016 | 4.5% | +8.8% |
| 2017 | 4.8% | +7.4% |
| 2018 | 5.1% | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 5.2% | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 5.7% | +9.8% |
| 2021 | 5.4% | -5.4% |
| 2022 | 3.8% | -29.2% |
| 2023 | 3.1% | -19.7% |
| 2024 | 3.0% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 3.1% | +0.6% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 3.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.1%, 61% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 3.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.4%, 56% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rate in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -29.2% | 5.4% | 3.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.0% | 3.8% | 4.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.8% | 3.6% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.3% | 3.7% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.0% | 3.0% | 5.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 140 Bhutan 3.2% compare
- 141 Slovenia 3.2% compare
- 142 Sierra Leone 3.1% compare
- 144 Myanmar 3.0% compare
- 145 Madagascar 3.0% compare
- 146 Saudi Arabia 3.0% 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 unemployment rate in Nigeria?
- Unemployment rate in Nigeria was 3.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 5.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 2024.
- How does Nigeria rank for unemployment rate?
- Nigeria ranks 143rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.