Isaac Anumihe
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has put the percentage of Nigerians engaged in agriculture between August 2018 and September 2020 at 48 per cent, indicating a relatively large decline for individuals in the lowest consumption cadre. This result threatens to increase the depth of poverty in the country.
According to the bureau, the share of people who are working fell across the consumption and distribution, but there was a relatively large decline for individuals in the lowest consumption quintile, threatening to increase the depth of poverty in Nigeria.
In September 2020, the bureau said the share of survey respondents who are working stabilised at 85 per cent, close to the pre-COVID level.
“The recovery among survey respondents has reached the pre-pandemic levels in rural areas (87 per cent), where the changes observed since June may be partially explained by the normal cycles in agriculture. In contrast, the share of working respondents in urban areas has recovered at a slower pace and has not yet reached the pre-COVID levels.
According to NBS, the share of Nigerians aged 15-64 who are working remains slightly lower than before the crisis, at 71 per cent in September 2020, compared with 77 per cent in July/August 2018 while women and youth have had a slower recovery.
“The crisis may potentially be entrenching pre-existing labour market gender inequality: in July/August 2018, 83 per cent of working-age men and 72 per cent of working-age women were working, but these shares dropped to 78 per cent and 65 per cent respectively by September 2020. The share of working Nigerians engaged in commerce activities rose from 18 per cent in July/August 2018 to 26 per cent in September 2020 largely at the expense of services and industry: this was mainly driven by women, those with lower levels of education, and those in poor households” the bureau, explained.