Nigeria’s underemployment is worse than its unemployment problem
Nigeria's underemployment problem

Key questions this article answers: 

  1. The National Bureau of Statistics has unveiled a new unemployment methodology. How does Nigeria's new way of measuring employment show the extent of the underemployment problem?

  2. Based on the new methodology, Nigeria's underemployment problem is glaring. What does underemployment look like across states, and what are the implications?


The recent update to the National Bureau of Statistics’ (NBS) employment methodology has unveiled a troubling reality plaguing Nigeria’s labour market. 

By expanding the definition of employment to include anyone working as little as one hour per week instead of the previous requirement of 20 hours, a clearer understanding of Nigeria’s underemployment crisis emerges. 

The significance of this adjustment may appear inconspicuous at first glance, but its implications are vast.

One rationale behind this change is to align Nigeria’s unemployment measurement with internationally recognised standards set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). This alignment with global benchmarks

This story is only available to Premium subscribers Subscribe or sign in to finish reading

Not ready to subscribe? Register to read a selection of free stories

Fadekemi Abiru

Fadekemi Abiru

Read Latest

Consumer Goods Transaction Brief: Norfund leads its first investment into an African tech startup, Nigeria’s OmniRetail

PREMIUM - 30 APR 2025

Limited Partner Profile: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

PREMIUM - 30 APR 2025

Healthcare Transaction Brief: Mediterrania Capital Partners sells its remaining 10.5% stake in Morocco’s Akdital

PREMIUM - 29 APR 2025

Weekly Africa Macro Update: April 21-25, 2025

PREMIUM - 28 APR 2025

Download our mobile app for a more immersive reading experience

Scan QR code
mobile download