Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Nigeria
Nigeria: Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate was 63.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
63.8%
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
126th
of 236 countries
All-time high
63.8%
in 2025
All-time low
10.1%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Nigeria, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Nigeria is 63.8%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 14.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Nigeria peaked at 63.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 10.1%, in 1950.
Nigeria ranks 126th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 10.1% | — |
| 1951 | 10.4% | +2.5% |
| 1952 | 10.7% | +2.6% |
| 1953 | 11.0% | +2.9% |
| 1954 | 11.3% | +3.3% |
| 1955 | 11.7% | +3.6% |
| 1956 | 12.2% | +3.8% |
| 1957 | 12.6% | +3.9% |
| 1958 | 13.2% | +4.0% |
| 1959 | 13.7% | +4.0% |
| 1960 | 14.2% | +4.0% |
| 1961 | 14.8% | +3.9% |
| 1962 | 15.4% | +3.8% |
| 1963 | 15.9% | +3.7% |
| 1964 | 16.5% | +3.6% |
| 1965 | 17.1% | +3.5% |
| 1966 | 17.7% | +3.5% |
| 1967 | 18.3% | +3.5% |
| 1968 | 18.9% | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 19.6% | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 20.2% | +3.4% |
| 1971 | 20.9% | +3.3% |
| 1972 | 21.6% | +3.3% |
| 1973 | 22.3% | +3.2% |
| 1974 | 23.0% | +3.2% |
| 1975 | 23.7% | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 24.4% | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 25.2% | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 25.9% | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 26.7% | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 27.4% | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 28.2% | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 28.9% | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 29.7% | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 30.5% | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 31.3% | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 32.1% | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 32.8% | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 33.6% | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 34.4% | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 35.2% | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 36.0% | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 36.7% | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 37.5% | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 38.3% | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 39.1% | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 40.0% | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 40.8% | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 41.6% | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 42.4% | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 43.3% | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 44.1% | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 45.0% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 45.8% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 46.7% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 47.6% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 48.4% | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 49.2% | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 50.1% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 50.9% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 51.7% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 52.5% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 53.3% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 54.1% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 54.9% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 55.7% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 56.5% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 57.3% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 58.2% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 59.0% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 59.8% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 60.6% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 61.4% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 62.2% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 63.0% | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 63.8% | +1.3% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 63.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 63.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 11.7% | 10.1% | 13.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 16.8% | 14.2% | 19.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 23.4% | 20.2% | 26.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 30.9% | 27.4% | 34.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.8% | 35.2% | 42.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 47.1% | 43.3% | 50.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.3% | 51.7% | 59.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.8% | 59.8% | 63.8% | 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 urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Nigeria?
- Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Nigeria was 63.8% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 63.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.1% in 1950.
- How does Nigeria rank for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate?
- Nigeria ranks 126th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.