Only 10.5% Of Nigerian Women In Paid Employment – World Bank

Women remain underrepresented in Nigeria’s formal labour market, making up just 10.5 percent of wage and salaried employees in 2025, according to the World Bank’s latest gender data report.

The report highlights the dominance of informal and vulnerable work among women, despite relatively high participation in the labour force.

While 80.7 percent of Nigerian women aged 15 and above are active in the labour market, most are concentrated in low-quality jobs offering little income security or social protection.

The gender gap is also stark when compared with men, with 17.0 percent of employed men in wage and salaried roles, significantly higher than the 10.5 percent recorded for women.

Nigerian women’s wage employment also lags behind regional and global averages, trailing Sub-Saharan Africa’s 16.9percent lower-middle-income countries at 26.5 percent and the global average of 54.6 percent

The report points to structural barriers limiting women’s access to formal employment, including skills gaps, limited access to capital, and social constraints that push many into informal or unpaid roles.

Women are disproportionately engaged in vulnerable employment, with 79.1 percent of female workers in such roles, compared to 54.8 percent of men. Vulnerable employment typically includes self-employment and unpaid family work, often lacking job security, stable income, and legal protections.

Agriculture remains a major source of employment for women, with 23.6 percent of employed women working in the sector, compared to 42.7 percent of men. While the female share is lower than that of men’s, the sector often features low productivity and earnings.

Among young people, female youth unemployment stood at 6.29 percent in 2025, lower than the 11.0 percent average for Sub-Saharan Africa and 14.9 percent globally. Male youth unemployment was even lower at 4.42 percent, indicating relatively better outcomes for young men.

However, 13.4 percent of young women were not in education, employment, or training (NEET), suggesting many remain outside productive engagement.

Beyond labour market indicators, the World Bank highlights systemic constraints limiting women’s economic participation. Under its Women, Business and the Law index, Nigeria scored 51 percent meaning women enjoy just over half of the legal rights afforded to men.

Support systems for implementing gender-equal laws remain weak, with only 49 percent of the necessary frameworks in place. Enforcement of these rights is estimated at just 34% of its full potential, and no reforms were introduced between October 2023 and October 2025 to address these gaps.

Access to financial services shows some progress but remains uneven. About 52.2 percent of women had accounts at financial institutions in 2024, compared to 74.3 percent of men.

Similarly, 36.5 percent of women reported saving through financial institutions or mobile money, lower than 50.2 percent for men. Limited financial inclusion continues to restrict women’s ability to transition into formal employment or scale businesses.

Broader social indicators also affect women’s productivity. Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio remains high at 993 deaths per 100,000 live births, far above global averages. Adolescent fertility stands at 86.4 births per 1,000 women aged 15–19, while 30.3 percent of women aged 20–24 were married before age 18. These factors contribute to lower educational attainment and reduced participation in higher-value economic activities.

The World Bank noted that “improving gender equality outcomes is critical to boosting productivity, reducing poverty, and achieving shared prosperity in Nigeria.”