About 7.5 million Nigerians were doing nothing between January 2016 and December 30, 2017, and out of a total active labor force of 85.08 million people in Nigeria, about 16 million people were unemployed in the third quarter of 2017, the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, has said.
The report shows that of the labor force of 85.08 million in Q3 2017, 77.55 million are engaged in some sort of economic activity for at least an hour a week, (8.46 million-1-19 hours; 18.02 million-20-39 hours; 51.06million-above 40 hours), while 7.53 million are doing absolutely nothing. This was made known by Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in a report “Labour Force Statistics Q3 2017 Vol 2” and made available to Brand Spur Nigeria.
The Bureau noted classification for those working less than 20 hours a week and those doing absolutely nothing as unemployed, while we classify those working 20-39 hours or doing jobs not commensurate with their qualifications and skills as underemployed).
Also, out of 8.46 million persons that work within 1-19 hours a week, 1.83 million or 21.67% work for pay/wage, 5.84 million or 69.03% are self-employed working in agriculture (4.18million or 49.44%) and non-agriculture related activities (1.65 million or 19.58%), 83,978 or 0.99% are paid, apprentice and 703,240 or 8.31% are unpaid houseworkers.
The report said, “Under this working hours category, Agriculture with 59.02% or 5.01 million persons dominates followed by Trade (9.7%), Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (7.0%) out of 18.02 million persons that work within 20-39 hours a week and classified as underemployed, 3.77 million or 20.96% work for pay/ wage, 11.60 million or 64.36% are self-employed working in agriculture (6.62million or 36.72%) and non-agriculture related activities (4.98 million or 27.64%), 231,671 or 1.28% are paid, apprentice and 2.41 million or 13.39% are unpaid houseworkers”.
Under this working hours category, Agriculture with 52.20% or 9.40 million persons dominates followed by Trade (13.2%), and Other services (7.0%)Out of 51.06 million persons that work above 40 hours a week and classified as employed full time, 14.10 million or 27.62% work for pay/ wage, 33.80 million or 66.33% are self-employed working in agriculture (18.85 million or 36.92%) and non-agriculture related activities (15.01 million or 29.41%), 547,330 or 1.07% are paid, apprentice and 2.54 million or 4.98% are unpaid houseworkers.
The NBS report further shows that a total employed (full time employed and underemployed which is 20 and above working hours a week) of 69.09 million, 17.88million or 25.88% work for pay/ wage, 45.47 million or 65.82% are self-employed working in agriculture (25.47 million or 36.87%) and non-agriculture related activities (20.0 million or 28.95%), 779,002 or 1.13% are paid apprentice and 4.95 million or 7.17% are unpaid houseworkers.
