Trend
The employment rate stayed high, but dipped before rebounding
The official employment rate moved in a relatively tight band through the quarterly labour-force series, then rose again in Q2 2024 after the softer Q1 reading.
Labour · Jobs·NBS Labour Force Survey · Q2 2024
Employment Rate in Nigeria
Q2 2024
Nigeria's employment rate was 76.1% in Q2 2024. This page explains the official employment-to-population ratio, shows how it moved over time, and breaks down the latest reading by gender and by urban-rural residence.
Latest official read
76.1%
In the Q2 2024 Labour Force Survey, the employment-to-population ratio was 76.1% overall, 77.2% for men, 75.0% for women, 73.2% in urban areas, and 80.8% in rural areas.
Previous quarter
73.2%
Direction
Higher than Q1 2024
Official employment rate
76.1%
Q2 2024 employment-to-population ratio
Men
77.2%
Slightly above the female rate
Women
75.0%
Still close to the male reading
Rural areas
80.8%
Higher than the urban rate of 73.2%
Latest breakdown
Rural employment remained higher than urban employment
The latest survey shows a small gap by sex, but a more visible difference by place of residence, with rural areas recording the highest employment-to-population ratio.
What to remember
A high employment rate is only the start of the labour story
About three in four working-age Nigerians were employed
The Q2 2024 reading of 76.1% means employment remained the dominant labour-market state for most working-age Nigerians under the official survey definition.
The labour market improved from the previous quarter
The employment-to-population ratio rose from 73.2% in Q1 2024 to 76.1% in Q2 2024, which suggests more working-age Nigerians were in work during the second quarter.
Employment quality still needs separate attention
To understand whether jobs are truly strong, this metric has to be read alongside unemployment, informal employment, and wage pressure.
Related reading