Unemployment with basic education in Nigeria
Nigeria: Unemployment with basic education was 1.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Unemployment with basic education in Nigeria, 2016–2024
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total labor force with basic education.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 1.7% for unemployment with basic education in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 24.2% on the previous year and down 75.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment with basic education in Nigeria peaked at 7.0% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 2024.
That places Nigeria 114th out of 128 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 4.8% | 2.6% | 7.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 2.1% | 1.7% | 2.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More work & labour data for Nigeria
- 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)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 64.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 84.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 64.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 64.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 82.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment with basic education in Nigeria?
- Unemployment with basic education in Nigeria was 1.7% in 2024, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment with basic education recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 7.0% in 2016.
- What is the lowest unemployment with basic education recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 2024.
- How does Nigeria rank for unemployment with basic education?
- Nigeria ranks 114th out of 128 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment with basic education rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 75.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of the labor force with a basic level of education who are unemployed. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).