Nigeria accounted for 2% of the global labour force

As of 2023, the global labour force has expanded to an estimated 3.63 billion, driven by population booms in key regions.

China and India lead with a combined 1.37 billion people 15+ active in the workforce.

Nigeria ranks 7th with 76 million, following the US, Indonesia, Brazil, and Pakistan.

Source:

World Bank

Period:

2023
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The 2023 total labour force in Africa
  • Africa's labour force continues to grow significantly, with several countries exceeding 10 million workers in 2023.
  • South Africa, despite its developed economy, has a labour force of 27 million, ranking below Tanzania and Egypt.
  • Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have the largest labour forces in Africa.
  • East Africa remains a major hub, with Kenya and Uganda featuring prominently in the top ten.
Employment distribution worldwide in 2022
Key takeaways:
  • The industry sector accounted for the smallest portion of global employment in 2022.
  • Around 50 percent of the worldwide workforce is involved in the service sector.
  • On a global scale, the disparity between the agriculture and industry sectors is slight.
  • The sector with the largest share of employment globally is the service sector.
Distribution of workforce in Nigeria, 2022
Key takeaways:
  • Economic activities are categorised into three sectors.
  • The services sector is the largest employer of labour.
  • The data indicates that Nigeria's economy is primarily service-based.
  • The industry sector comprises of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, and public utilities.
Employment distribution in sub-Saharan Africa (2022)
Key takeaways:
  • The predominant share of sub-Saharan Africa's workforce is engaged in agriculture.
  • In 2022, over 50% of the workforce in sub-Saharan Africa was employed in the Agriculture sector.
  • Employment levels in the Industry sector were significantly lower compared to Agriculture and Services.
  • Approximately 37% of employees in sub-Saharan Africa were in the Service industry.
Madagascar leads Africa in female workforce participation rate at 83%
Madagascar, Burundi, and Mozambique lead Africa in female workforce participation, with rates above the global average of 48%. The 2024 estimate ranks Nigeria 30th in Africa, with a female labour force participation rate of 52%.
Madagascar leads Africa with 85% of its working-age population actively participating in the labour force
At least 80% of adults in Madagascar, Tanzania, and Ethiopia who can work are employed or actively seeking jobs. Across Africa, 63% of working-age people are engaged in the workforce. However, in Algeria, Morocco, and Djibouti, participation is below 45%.
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