From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said Nigeria currently ranks as the 41st country with the highest unemployment rate out of 181 countries of the world,.
Other countries with high unemployment rates include, Bosnia and Herzegovinian (34.3 per cent), Namibia (33.4 per cent), and Angola (32.0 per cent) while those with the lowest rates are Qatar (0.1 per cent), Belarus (0.2 per cent), Niger (0.3 per cent) and Laos (0.6 per cent).
According to National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report on International Unemployment Rate, with the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) standard of 1-hour work per week, Nigeria’s recent unemployment rate is 33.3 per cent.
However, the report noted that the methodology of calculating unemployment rate could differ across the countries.
“It is important to note that reference period and methodology of calculating unemployment rate could differ across the countries. Therefore, a direct comparison of unemployment rate in different countries may not be valid” the document obtained from the website of NBS, said.
On state by state unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria, the bureau said that those with ‘A’ levels have the highest rate of unemployment with 50.7 per cent followed by those with first degree/HND at 40.1 per cent while those with doctorate degrees as their highest qualifications reported the lowest rate of unemployment with 16.9 per cent.
“When considered by educational status, those reporting A ‘levels as their highest qualification had the highest rate of unemployment with 50.7 per cent followed by those with first degree/HND at 40.1 per cent. Those with doctorate degrees as their highest qualifications reported the lowest rate of unemployment, 16.9 per cent during the reference period.
But by age, those between 15 and 24 years have the highest with 53.4 per cent followed by those at the age bracket of 25 and 34 with 37.0 per cent.
“Under the age-groupings, the highest rate of unemployment was recorded among the 15-24-year age-group with 53.4 per cent, followed by those aged between 25 and 34 with 37.0 per cent. Together, the youth population recorded an unemployment rate of 42.5 per cent. In the case of underemployment by age grouping, those aged between 55 and 64 recorded an underemployment rate of 25.7 per cent, the highest amongst the age groups. This was followed by those aged between 45 and 54 with 24.4 per cent, while those with the lowest underemployment rate were those aged between 15 and 24 with 19.8 per cent.
