Recent data on Nigerias labour market points to a
rise in the rate of unemployment and underemployment in 2015Q4. Specifically,
compared to 2015Q3, the rate of unemployment and underemployment rose to 10.4
per cent and 18.7 per cent from 9.9 percent and 17.4 percent respectively.
These statistics however masks the true situation of the youth employment in
Nigeria. Disaggregated data by age category shows that unemployment and
underemployment within the youth age category (15-24) was remarkably higher
than the national average, at 19 and 34.5 per cent respectively.