Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) was 3.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Nigeria, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Nigeria is 3.9%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.8% on the previous year and up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Nigeria peaked at 6.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.4%, in 2013.
Nigeria ranks 132nd of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.7% | — |
| 1992 | 3.7% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 3.9% | +5.8% |
| 1994 | 4.0% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 4.0% | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 3.9% | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 3.9% | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 3.8% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 3.9% | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 3.9% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 3.8% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 3.6% | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 3.6% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 3.5% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 3.6% | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 3.7% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 3.7% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 3.7% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 3.7% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 3.7% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 3.7% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 3.5% | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | -5.0% |
| 2014 | 3.6% | +6.0% |
| 2015 | 3.8% | +6.8% |
| 2016 | 4.2% | +9.4% |
| 2017 | 4.5% | +7.9% |
| 2018 | 4.8% | +5.6% |
| 2019 | 4.9% | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 6.0% | +22.7% |
| 2021 | 6.6% | +8.7% |
| 2022 | 5.4% | -17.8% |
| 2023 | 4.1% | -23.6% |
| 2024 | 4.1% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 3.9% | -4.8% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 3.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.5%, 71% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 3.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.1%, 63% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.9% | 3.7% | 4.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.7% | 3.5% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.0% | 3.4% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.0% | 3.9% | 6.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 129 China 4.0% compare
- 130 Kyrgyzstan 4.0% compare
- 130 Tajikistan 4.0% compare
- 133 Trinidad and Tobago 3.9% compare
- 134 Malaysia 3.9% compare
- 135 Bangladesh 3.7% compare
More education data for Nigeria
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 912,245 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.08 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.24 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.20 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 33.42 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.18 % change on previous year (2021)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1466 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Nigeria?
- Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Nigeria was 3.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 6.6% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4% in 2013.
- How does Nigeria rank for unemployment, female (% of female labor force)?
- Nigeria ranks 132nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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, female (% of female labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.