The unemployment rate in Nigeria maintained its upward trend hitting a record 33.3% in the fourth quarter of 2020 from the 27.1% reported in the second quarter, according to the Labor Force Statistics: Unemployment and Underemployment Report Q4 2020 released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Imo State reported the highest rate of unemployment with 56.6% among all the states in Nigeria. It was followed by Adamawa and Cross River States with 54.9% and 53.7% respectively. The State with the lowest rate was Osun in the South-West with 11.7%.
Here is the unemployment and underemployment rates across all the states in Nigeria.
| State | Unemployment Rate (%) | Underemployment (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Abia | 50.07 | 15.87 |
| Adamawa | 54.89 | 24.67 |
| Akwa Ibom | 51.00 | 16.69 |
| Anambra | 44.22 | 16.48 |
| Bauchi | 34.22 | 30.1 |
| Bayelsa | 36.68 | 30.24 |
| Benue | 11.98 | 43.52 |
| Borno | 43.25 | 23.85 |
| Cross River | 53.65 | 17.81 |
| Delta | 31.14 | 24.01 |
| Ebonyi | 40.16 | 21.98 |
| Edo | 49.02 | 15.86 |
| Ekiti | 32.21 | 21.18 |
| Enugu | 31.62 | 21.29 |
| Gombe | 31.26 | 34.94 |
| Imo | 56.64 | 25.90 |
| Jigawa | 38.69 | 41.29 |
| Kaduna | 44.35 | 22.65 |
| Kano | 25.36 | 31.20 |
| Katsina | 25.28 | 23.54 |
| Kebbi | 17.25 | 34.67 |
| Kogi | 38.97 | 28.81 |
| Kwara | 16.55 | 19.16 |
| Lagos | 37.14 | 4.52 |
| Nassarawa | 29.83 | 31.06 |
| Niger | 38.80 | 23.44 |
| Ogun | 16.36 | 9.87 |
| Ondo | 17.09 | 24.16 |
| Osun | 11.65 | 25.68 |
| Oyo | 17.99 | 19.64 |
| Plateau | 26.59 | 26.15 |
| Rivers | 41.59 | 17.63 |
| Sokoto | 14.48 | 19.18 |
| Taraba | 31.55 | 36.17 |
| Yobe | 52.57 | 21.55 |
| Zamfara | 12.99 | 41.73 |
| FCT Abuja | 40.40 | 13.12 |
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.
