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Nigeria’s agriculture sector continues to be the largest employer, engaging over 25 million people about 30.1% of the total workforce in agriculture, forestry, and fishing in 2023, the National Bureau of Statistics has said.
This highlights the sector’s critical role in the economy and its significance in providing livelihoods for a substantial portion of the population.
According to the NBS, despite notable growth in other sectors, agriculture remains the backbone of the Nigerian workforce.
The data indicated that 25,341,219 individuals are actively employed in Nigeria’s agriculture sector, significantly exceeding the 23,133,193 employed in wholesale and retail trade, which accounts for 27.5% of the workforce.
Further analysis revealed a gender disparity in Nigeria’s agricultural workforce, with men comprising 63.8% of those employed, while women make up 36.2%.
This male dominance is even more evident in transportation and storage, where 98.7% of workers are male, and in construction, where men represent 97.9% of the workforce, leaving only 2.1% for women.
Conversely, the wholesale and retail trade sector showed a more balanced gender distribution, with females making up 67.5% of the workforce and males 32.5%.
Additionally, the report highlights regional employment patterns, noting that urban areas have higher employment rates in sectors like information and communication (89.5%), financial and insurance activities (88.6%), and professional, scientific, and technical activities (87.7%).
Rural areas remain dominant in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, with 68.7% of the rural workforce engaged in these activities.
In 2023, Nigeria’s unemployment rate stood at 5.4%, with higher unemployment among women at 6.0%, compared to 4.7% for men.
The working-age population totaled 116.6 million, making up 53.8% of the total population, with 52% female and 48% male.
In 2023, several states in Nigeria faced high unemployment rates, with Abia State leading at 18.7%.
The Federal Capital Territory followed closely at 14.1%, while Rivers State reported 13.4%. Other states such as Gombe, Imo, and Ogun also exhibited significant unemployment rates.
The report revealed that approximately 40.2 million households, accounting for 70% of the total households in Nigeria, are involved in agriculture. Among these, 91% are engaged in crop production, while around 48% participate in livestock farming.
