Nigeria—Self-Employed (% of total)
Nigeria's self-employed (% of total) was 86.2% in 2025, ranking #5 out of 188 countries. This represents a -0.3% change from 2024. Over the past 26 years, the highest recorded value was 93.9% (2000) and the lowest was 86.2% (2025). Data sourced from the World Bank World Development Indicators.
Historical Data
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 86.2% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 86.4% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 86.7% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 86.9% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 87.1% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 87.6% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 86.6% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 86.8% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 87.0% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 87.3% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 87.5% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 87.8% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 88.1% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 88.5% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 88.8% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 89.3% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 89.8% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 90.2% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 90.7% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 91.1% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 91.6% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 92.1% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 92.7% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 93.2% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 93.6% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 93.9% |
Top Countries — Self-Employed (% of total)
| # | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chad | 91.6% | 2025 |
| 2 | Niger | 89.5% | 2025 |
| 3 | Sierra Leone | 88.8% | 2025 |
| 4 | Madagascar | 88.3% | 2025 |
| 5 | Nigeria | 86.2% | 2025 |
| 6 | Central African Republic | 85.4% | 2025 |
| 7 | Tanzania | 85.3% | 2025 |
| 8 | Mozambique | 85.3% | 2025 |
| 9 | DR Congo | 85.1% | 2025 |
| 10 | Burundi | 84.9% | 2025 |
About This Indicator
Definition
Self-employed workers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners or in cooperative, hold the type of jobs defined as a "self-employment jobs." i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced. Self-employed workers include sub-categories of employers, own-account workers and members of producers' cooperatives and contributing family workers.
Methodology
Data compiled by ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), uri: https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/bulk/, publisher: ILOSTAT, type: external database, date accessed: January 17, 2026.
Unit
% of total employment