Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 3.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nigeria, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nigeria is 3.1%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and down 25.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nigeria peaked at 5.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 2024.
Nigeria ranks 144th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | 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, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) 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
- 141 Bhutan 3.2% compare
- 142 Slovenia 3.2% compare
- 143 Sierra Leone 3.1% compare
- 145 Myanmar 3.0% compare
- 146 Madagascar 3.0% compare
- 147 Saudi Arabia 3.0% 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, total (% of total labor force) in Nigeria?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nigeria was 3.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 5.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 2024.
- How does Nigeria rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Nigeria ranks 144th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) 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 database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.