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.
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
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 82.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 84.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 95.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 80.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 83.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 84.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 81.9% (2025)
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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.