Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) was 4.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Nigeria, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 4.4% for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 12.3% on the previous year and down 46.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Nigeria peaked at 10.1% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 2024.
Nigeria ranks 163rd of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.9% | — |
| 1992 | 7.6% | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 8.0% | +4.6% |
| 1994 | 8.0% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 8.2% | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 8.0% | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 7.9% | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 7.8% | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 8.0% | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 8.0% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 8.0% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 7.6% | -4.6% |
| 2003 | 7.6% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 7.6% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 7.9% | +4.4% |
| 2006 | 8.1% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 8.3% | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 8.3% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 8.2% | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 8.2% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 8.3% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 7.9% | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 7.5% | -5.7% |
| 2014 | 7.8% | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 8.2% | +5.1% |
| 2016 | 8.8% | +7.6% |
| 2017 | 9.4% | +6.6% |
| 2018 | 9.8% | +4.5% |
| 2019 | 10.1% | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 9.9% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 7.8% | -21.2% |
| 2022 | 4.8% | -38.4% |
| 2023 | 4.0% | -17.2% |
| 2024 | 3.9% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 4.4% | +12.3% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 4.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9.6%, 46% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 4.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.0%, 49% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) 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 | -38.4% | 7.8% | 4.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.9% | 7.6% | 8.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 8.0% | 7.6% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.6% | 7.5% | 10.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.8% | 3.9% | 9.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
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, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Nigeria?
- Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Nigeria was 4.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 10.1% in 2019.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 2024.
- How does Nigeria rank for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24)?
- Nigeria ranks 163rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.