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Unemployed Nigerians Hit 22m in 2020- NBS

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The total number of unemployed Nigerians is 21,764,617, according to National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Unemployed Nigerians Hit 22m in 2020- NBS

The statistics are contained in the bureau’s Labor Force Statistics website, entitled “Unemployment and Underemployment Report (Q2 2020) released in Abuja.

It referred to the report as an Abridged Labour Force Survey under COVID-19 for August 2020.

The unemployment rate during the period in reference represented a 27.1 per cent rise from the 23.1 per cent recorded in the third quarter of 2018.

“A rise in unemployment generally means the number of people searching for jobs has increased, which can occur because people previously outside the labour force have decided to join the labour force and are now in search of jobs.

“Or people previously working have lost their jobs and are now in search of jobs.

“Often, it is a combination of these two,” the NBS said.

According to the report, the total number of people in employment during the reference period is 58,527,276. “

The statistic of those employed showed a 15.8 per cent reduction in employment in the third quarter of 2020.

Of this number, 35,585,274 were full-time employed, who worked for 40 hours or more per week, while 22,942,003 were under-employed and worked between 20 to 29 hours per week.

The number of persons in the labour force, people within ages 15 to 64, able and willing to work was estimated to be 80,291,894.

The figure represented an 11.3 per cent decrease in the number of persons recorded in the third quarter of 2018.

Of this number, those within the age bracket of 25 to 34 were highest with 23,328,460, representing 29.1 per cent of the labour force.

The NBS noted that the unemployment rate among rural dwellers in the period under review increased to 28 per cent from 23.9 per cent in the third quarter of 2018.

Urban dwellers also reported a rate of 25.4 per cent up from 21.2 per cent.

In the case of underemployment among rural dwellers, it rose to 31.5 per cent in the period under review from 22.8 per cent in the third quarter of 2018.

The rate among urban dwellers also rose to 23.2 per cent from 13.7 per cent in the third quarter of 2018.

Moreover, the unemployment rate among young people, ages 15 to 34 in the second quarter of 2020 was 34.9 per cent up from 29.7 per cent in the third quarter of 2018.

Also, the rate of underemployment for the same age group rose to 28.2 per cent from 25.7 per cent.

These rates were the highest when compared to other age groupings.

For state statistics under the second quarter of 2020, Imo reported the highest rate of unemployment with 48.7 per cent, followed by Akwa-Ibom and Rivers with 45.2 per cent and 43.7 per cent respectively.

The state with the lowest rate was Anambra in the South-East with 13.1 per cent.

For underemployment, the state which recorded the highest rate was Zamfara with 43.7 per cent, while Anambra recorded the lowest underemployment rate, with 17 per cent.

A total number of 2,736,076 did not do any work in the last seven days preceding the survey due to the lockdown but had secure jobs to return to after the lockdown.

The NBS said the unemployment and underemployment rates varied across states according to the nature of economic activities predominant in each state.

“Favorable conditions in one state may lead to an influx of jobseekers in that state and in the process increasing unemployment in the performing state, while reducing the unemployment rate in the originating state.

“This may give a false impression that the state with the lower unemployment rate is performing better,” it said.

 

 


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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IHS Nigeria Reaffirms Commitment to raising Nigeria’s Next Tech Giants from the Ilorin Innovation Hub

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Telecommunications infrastructure provider, IHS Nigeria, has reiterated its commitment to transforming the Ilorin Innovation Hub into a leading destination for talent and technology development across North-Central Nigeria. The company envisions the Hub as a launchpad for future unicorns and a magnet for young innovators from Kwara State and the surrounding regions.

Speaking during a virtual town hall session organized by the Ilorin Innovation Hub with the theme “From Ilorin to the World: Building a Globally Recognized Technology Hub,”, Mr. Kazeem Oladepo, Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of IHS Nigeria, emphasized the importance of collaboration, mentorship, and community engagement in nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs.

“We see the Ilorin Innovation Hub as a platform to attract top talent—not just from Ilorin, but from across the region’s tertiary institutions and tech ecosystem,” Oladepo said. “This is an opportunity to build globally impactful companies by harnessing local brilliance with global insight.”

Mr. Temi Kolawole, Managing Director/CEO of the Ilorin Innovation Hub, described the town hall as a homecoming for top minds with roots in Kwara State.

“This is a convergence of visionaries—people who’ve built, scaled, and invested in world-class companies—now giving back to shape a collective future,” Kolawole said. “Our partnership with IHS Nigeria exemplifies what’s possible when public sector ambition meets private sector expertise.”

Responding to a participant’s question on how individuals could contribute towards the growth of the hub, Mr. Oladepo encouraged industry experts present to engage directly with the Hub’s program managers – future Africa and Cc-Hub, provide mentorship, and help in aligning the training modules with local and global market realities.

“IHS is already investing financial, technical, and intellectual resources into the Hub. But to truly thrive, we need champions within the ecosystem—mentors who’ve built real businesses—to guide young people as they develop transformative ideas,” he noted.

Highlighting long-term sustainability, Oladepo called for the inclusion of successful professionals and entrepreneurs in the Hub’s activities to ensure relevance and adaptability.

“Let’s bring in those who’ve succeeded in fields like e-commerce, logistics, Healthtech, and Data Mining. Their insights can help refine the Hub’s programs and ensure participants extract real value,” he added.

Other speakers at the session included Ms. Anu Adasolum, Founder & CEO of Sabi, and Mr. Chris Folayan, Founder of Founder Centered. The virtual townhall was well attended with participants including tech enthusiasts, founders, startups drawn from both within and outside Nigeria.


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Airtel Nigeria Promotes World Environment Day with Nationwide Sustainability Activities

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L-r: Chief Technology Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Harmanpreet Singh Dhillon; Director, Human Resources & Administration, Airtel Nigeria, Adebimpe Ayo-Elias; Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh; Director, Sanitation Services, Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Dr. Hassan A. Sanuth; Director, Corporate Communications & CSR; and Marketing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Ismail Adeshina; at the sustainability seminar hosted by Airtel Nigeria in commemoration of World Environment Day at the company’s head office in Lagos on Wednesday this week.
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Telecommunications provider, Airtel Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to environmental sustainability with a nationwide campaign to combat plastic pollution in commemoration of World Environment Day 2025.

Themed “Ending Plastic Pollution”, this year’s events demonstrated the corporate mission of Airtel to champion environmental stewardship.

Tagged #UnPlasticAfrica, the company’s campaign began on June 3, mobilizing employees across six operating regions for a week of education, advocacy, and cleanup activities aimed at promoting sustainable living, in alignment with global efforts to reduce plastic pollution.

The activities kicked off with a Sustainability Seminar, led by Dr Hassan A. Sanuth, Director of Sanitation Services at the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, and focused on the role of the individual in reducing plastic waste while promoting practical recycling habits.

Following this educational session, all Airtel Nigeria employees took the “Eco Pledge” to commit to reusable containers.

In his remarks at the seminar, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, reaffirmed Airtel`s dedication to sustainability.

“As we invest in Nigeria’s digital future, we are equally committed to protecting the environment that sustains us. From AI-powered services that reduce paper use to partnerships that connect rural areas without environmental disruption, we are embedding sustainability into every layer of our operations,” he said.

Speaking at the workshop, Dr. Sanuth emphasized the urgency of addressing the plastic pollution crisis, particularly in urban centers like Lagos.

“Plastic waste is choking our drains, polluting our water bodies, and threatening public health. Every little action counts, from individuals making conscious choices to organizations taking bold steps and together, our collective efforts can make a significant impact in ending plastic pollution,” he noted.

He also highlighted the dangers of plastic waste, noting that microplastics have been traced in food, water, and even human blood and called for stronger policies and corporate accountability.

The highlight of the week was a market clean-up and sensitization drive held by Airtel employees in Abuja, Oyo, Benin, Enugu, and Kano. Airtel staff volunteers, in collaboration with local partners, led plastic collection efforts, conducted environmental hygiene training, and distributed over 3,000 branded reusable bags and parasols to market vendors and shoppers.

The World Environment Day campaign, nicknamed Earth Fest 2025, is part of Airtel Nigeria’s broader CSR Strategy, which continues to integrate environmental stewardship into its organizational practices.


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NOTAP Boss Laments Loss of IPR by Nigerian Researchers

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Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, director general, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP),  has expressed displeasure over the level of Intellectual Property Right (IPR) losses by Nigerian researchers due to insufficient knowledge of the benefits of IPR protection.

NOTAP Boss Laments Loss of IPR by Nigerian Researchers

Speaking at a one-day Coordinator’s Forum organized by the Office in Uyo for the South-South geopolitical zone of the country, the Director General, represented by Mrs. Caroline Anie-Osuagwu, director of Technology Acquisition and Research Coordination (TARC) department,  said that prior to the establishment of the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTOs) in Nigerian knowledge establishments, Nigerian researchers had no deep knowledge of the importance of IP protection, hence losing their IP rights.

In a statement signed by Raymond Onyenezi Ogbu for the head, Public Relations and Protocol Unit of NOTAP, the DG advised researchers to always file for a patent each time they anticipate a breakthrough and avoid publishing before patenting, as any research work published in a paper is already in the public domain and can no longer be patented.

“IP rights are rights granted to a researcher or inventor by the government to have a monopoly over the financial exploitation of their inventions for a period of time to recoup the expenditure on their research undertaking”. the DG said.

She challenged patent owners to license or commercialize their inventions, adding that patents that cannot metamorphose into tangible products and services are not worth keeping, as they are liabilities to the owners.

The DG said that researchers with patented inventions can license their invention for royalty purposes or sell them outrightly to venture capitalists if they cannot commercialize.

“Over the years, the nation has depended on the consumption of products from foreign research, while Nigeria is blessed with skilled human resources but only needs to be strategic in their research understanding”.

“The aim of organizing the IPTTO coordinator’s forum was to interact with the coordinators, know their challenges and achievements, and encourage the centers that are not very progressive to strengthen their centers.” She added.

The DG stressed that while a number of centers are performing well, some are struggling to find their fit, occasioned by bureaucratic bottlenecks.

She expressed confidence in the ability of the research communities engaging in demand-driven and market-driven research to fast-track development adding that technology development is a product of research work, and knowledge institutions are duty-bound to engage in critical research to advance the IPR ecosystem in Nigeria.

Participants from the South-South Zone took turns to commend NOTAP for the impactful program and requested the Office to assist them with links to venture capitalists for the commercialization of their research results.

All the IPTTO coordinators presented their scorecards and were advised to get ready for the 2026 IPTTO ranking that would be organized by the Office.

 

 

 

 


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