Did you know that nearly 40% of Nigerians landed jobs through personal networks like family and friends?
With millions of working-age citizens, a median age of 18 years, and a tech-savvy Gen Z entering the workforce in large numbers, the competition for skilled talents and jobs is intensifying.
For HR professionals, this means rethinking how to attract and retain top talent. For job seekers, it means adjusting to changing expectations and emerging career paths.
This report contains 50+ critical Nigerian HR and workforce statistics.
If you’re an HR executive making strategic hiring decisions or a job seeker trying to navigate Nigeria’s evolving employment landscape, these insights will help you stay ahead of the curve.
Most employed Nigerians work less than 40 hours a week - National Bureau of Statistics
Most Nigerians are employed in the private sector which accounts for 74.4% of the workforce, while the public sector employs 25.6% - National Bureau of Statistics
84% of Nigerians in the labour force work in their own business - National Bureau of Statistics
In Q1 2024, 73.2% of Nigeria's working-age population was employed - National Bureau of Statistics
In Q1 2024, the unemployment rate among youth was 8.4% - National Bureau of Statistics
The unemployment rate for persons with disabilities in Nigeria is considerably higher than the general population. Among individuals aged 15-24, unemployment for PWDs is approximately 77 per cent, compared to 49 per cent for those without disabilities - World Bank Report
The unemployment rate in urban areas was 6.0% and 4.3% in rural areas in Q1 2024 - National Bureau of Statistics
Lagos has the most employment opportunities in Nigeria, followed by Abuja and Rivers - MyJobMag Job Search Report 2025
Abuja had the highest number of NGO job opportunities in Nigeria in 2024 - MyJobMag Job Search Report 2025
Among Nigerians of working age who have postgraduate education like a master's or PhD, 96 out of every 100 are employed or actively seeking and available for work - National Bureau of Statistics
74.3% of employment in Nigeria require a B.A, B.Sc or HND - MyJobMag Job Search Report 2025
79.8% of Nigeria’s employed population have a post-secondary education, while 94.1% have a post-graduate education - National Bureau of Statistics
95.7% of the self-employed population in Nigeria have no education - National Bureau of Statistics
70% of Nigerian employers report difficulty finding qualified candidates due to skills mismatch – MyJobMag Insights
The national minimum wage for Nigeria as of 2025 is N70,000 - National Bureau of Statistics
Nigeria’s wage rise between 2019 and 2025 is 133.3% - National Bureau of Statistics
55 in every 100 Nigerian workers believe their salary is not commensurate with the value they offer – The Nigerian Workplace Report 2024
37% of employed Nigerians earn less than N100,000 - PiggyVest Savings Report 2024
Food and transportation are the biggest expenditures of a worker’s earnings - PiggyVest Income Report 2024
Three in ten people spend between 10.01% and 20% of their income on transportation each month, while 14.46% spend as much as 30% – The Nigerian Workplace Report 2024
42 out of 100 workers agree their salary is reviewed once a year – The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
71% of Nigerians have only one source of income - PiggyVest Savings Report 2024
29% of Nigerians have more than one source of income - PiggyVest Income Report 2024
Only 47% of Nigerian workers save monthly - PiggyVest Income Report 2024
20.5% of developers reported earning salaries in foreign currency – The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
CTO, Senior Software Engineers, and Senior Product Managers are among the list of people earning above N1 million - The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
Less than 10% of freelancers report average monthly earnings above ₦350,000, and only a handful reach ₦1 million or higher - The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
The agriculture, telecommunication, and trade industries are the largest employers of labour in Nigeria - National Bureau of Statistics
74.3% of employment in Nigeria require a B.A, B.Sc or HND - MyJobMag Job Search Report 2025
ICT/Telecommunications, NGOs, Education/Teaching, Banking, Healthcare/Medical are the top 5 hiring industries in 2024 - MyJobMag Job Search Report 2025
Sales, Finance, and Engineering had the most vacancies in 2024 - MyJobMag Job Search Report 2025
Experience, skill set, and potential are the top priorities for hiring managers in Nigeria – The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
The pharmaceuticals industry had the least job opportunities in 2024 - MyJobMag Job Search Report 2025
41 in 100 workers are employed in fields that do not align with their area of study – The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
78 out of 100 HR professionals do not consider higher institutions when hiring – The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
59 out of 100 foreign graduates believe their degree helped secure their current roles - The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
Teachers are the most employed profession in Nigeria - The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
Health insurance is the top non-remuneration benefits in Nigeria - The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
Employees who receive more than three non-monetary benefits are significantly more likely to recommend their companies, indicating a clear positive correlation - The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
Only 26% of Nigerian workers have pension plans and health insurance - National Bureau of Statistics
In terms of employer-based insurance, there are more men with insurance than women - Leadway Insights
The minimum rate of contribution is 18% of the employee's monthly emoluments where 10% is contributed by the employer and the employee contributes 8% - National Pension Commission
While 51.43% of employees view HR's role as protecting the workforce, 76.36% of HR professionals believe their primary responsibility is to protect the company – The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
Most people who have worked for more than five years at a company see a clear career path with the company, showing the importance of having a clear career path to employee turnover – The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
46 out of 100 workers consider work-life balance as important – The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
71% of employees resign within 12 months of starting a job – Vanguard Insights
Better offers, lack of career advancement and bad leadership are the top 3 reasons why people resign from their jobs – The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
45% of Nigerian employees have low trust in management - The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
More than half of Nigerian employees (51%) feel indifferent about their jobs, a signal of disengagement or lack of fulfilment in the workplace – The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
4 in 10 Nigerian employees (37.2%) say they love their jobs – MyJobMag Job Satisfaction Survey
1 in 3 women (33.3%) love their jobs, compared to 4 in 10 men (40%) – MyJobMag Job Satisfaction Survey
6 in 10 workers aged 45–64 report job satisfaction – MyJobMag Job Satisfaction Survey
Workers in NGOs, banking, and education are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs – MyJobMag Job Satisfaction Survey
Productivity, leadership potential and exceeding expectations are the top factor HR considers for promotions – The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
Top reasons people love their jobs include good pay, remote work, training, travel, and team support – MyJobMag Job Satisfaction Survey
53.6% of employees say they undergo training at least twice a year - The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
Most individuals report daily commutes under 61 minutes, with just 34% spending more than an hour in transit - The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
70% of Gen Z employees will not stay on a job for more than 2 years - Nairametrics Insights
59% of Millenial employees are willing to work in one organization for 3 - 5 years - BusinessDay Insights
68% of Gen Zs prefer remote work, while only 25% prefer a hybrid system - BusinessDay Insights
55% of Millennial employees support a hybrid work model, while 25% prefer to work remotely. 20% prefer on-site work - BusinessDay Insights
53.1% of Gen Z employees are driven most by passion for their work - BusinessDay Insights
40.6% of Gen Z employees prefer structured, goal-oriented work environments - BusinessDay Insights
59.3% of Gen Z employees agree that upskilling and training would increase productivity at work- BusinessDay Insights
Full-time jobs make up 90% of all jobs in Nigeria - MyJobMag Job Search Report 2025
Only 14% of jobs in Nigeria were fully remote in 2024 - The State of Productivity and Collaboration in Nigeria 2024 report
Electricity supply and internet connection were the top 2 challenges faced by remote and hybrid workers –
Social Media Manager, Product Manager and Content Creator were the 3 top remote roles in 2024 - MyJobMag Job Search Report 2025
Nigerians constitute a significant portion of the 17.5 million online freelancers in both Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa - The World Bank
Negotiating with clients is the biggest challenge for freelancers – The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
18 in 20 HR leaders believe AI will impact how candidates are hired and selected five years from now - MyJobMag Insights
32.2% of Nigerian workers believe they are safe from AI taking over their jobs - The Nigerian Workplace Report by Intel
Healthcare, finance, and agriculture are among the top industries experiencing a surge in demand for AI-powered solutions - Statista
9 in 10 Nigerian AI users use AI for problem-solving - Ipsos & Google Survey
87% of users believe AI’s benefits outweigh the risks - Ipsos & Google Survey
77% of employers in Nigeria report that digital skills are now a critical hiring criterion – MyJobMag Insights
By 2030, over 40% of repetitive HR tasks like initial assessments, CV screening and scheduling will be fully automated. For job seekers, this means optimized CVs, digital portfolios, and online credibility on platforms like LinkedIn or GitHub will become non-negotiable.
Digital fluency will become non-negotiable in nearly every industry, even outside of tech. Employers will actively seek candidates who can use digital tools, analyze data, and adapt to evolving platforms. Those who fail to upskill will be left behind, regardless of their degrees or past experience.
Employee loyalty may continue to decline unless companies take engagement seriously. HR teams will be forced to shift from reactive hiring to proactive retention through better onboarding, career support, and real-time culture improvements.
Human resources will be powered by tech from hiring to performance tracking. Tools like ATS, HRIS, and analytics dashboards will become standard. Employers will expect HR to use data to reduce bias, improve hiring accuracy, and forecast talent gaps. Job seekers who understand these systems or know how to beat them will stand out.
Career advancement will favour professionals who demonstrate emotional intelligence, adaptability, and decision-making power. Hiring managers will increasingly assess personality, leadership traits, and communication style.
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The Nigerian workforce is constantly changing but the gap between employer needs and candidate readiness remains wide. For HR professionals and employers, the challenge remains aligning business goals with workforce capabilities, while attracting and retaining high-potential individuals.
For job seekers, success will require more than just qualifications. It will require strategic positioning, continuous skill-building, and the ability to adapt to employer expectations that are being reshaped by technology, globalization, and employee values.
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