Nigeria’s labour market remains heavily tilted against women in formal employment, with only 10.5 per cent of employed women engaged in wage and salaried jobs as of 2025, according to the latest gender data report by the World Bank.
The figure underscores the overwhelming concentration of women in informal and vulnerable work, despite their strong participation in the labour force.
According to the report, about 80.7 per cent of Nigerian women aged 15 and above are economically active. However, the majority are engaged in low-quality jobs that offer limited income security, stability, or social protection.
The disparity becomes clearer when compared with male participation. While only 10.5 per cent of women are in salaried roles, the figure rises to 17.0 per cent for men.
Nigeria also lags behind global and regional benchmarks. Women’s wage employment stands below the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 16.9 per cent, far behind lower-middle-income countries at 26.5 per cent, and significantly below the global average of 54.6 per cent.
The report attributes this gap to structural barriers such as limited access to capital, skills shortages, and socio-cultural constraints that push many women into informal or unpaid work.
A significant proportion of Nigerian women are trapped in vulnerable employment, with 79.1 per cent engaged in such roles compared to 54.8 per cent of men.
These roles, often self-employment or unpaid family work, are typically characterised by low earnings, job insecurity, and lack of legal protections.
Agriculture remains a key employer, with 23.6 per cent of working women in the sector, although this is lower than the 42.7 per cent recorded for men. Despite this, the sector is often associated with low productivity and limited income potential.
The report highlights mixed trends among young Nigerians. Female youth unemployment stood at 6.29 per cent in 2025, lower than both the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 11.0 per cent and the global average of 14.9 per cent.
Male youth unemployment was even lower at 4.42 per cent, indicating relatively better outcomes for young men.
However, 13.4 per cent of young women fall into the category of not in education, employment, or training (NEET), pointing to a significant gap in productive engagement.
