Unemployment Rate in Jigawa State 2026

Current statistics, youth unemployment, gender breakdown, sector analysis and comparison with national average — August 2026.

2.4% Unemployment Rate Narrow · NBS Q3

5.3% Youth Unemployment Ages 15–34

22.1% Broad Rate (2020) Incl. underemployed

2.4M Labour Force Jigawa State

📊 Jigawa's 2.4% is 1.9% below the national average (4.3%) · Ranks #35 of 37

📊 Jigawa State Unemployment Overview 2026

NBS Q3

Jigawa State has an unemployment rate of 2.4% as of NBS Q3 (narrow ILO definition). This places the state at rank #35 among Nigeria's 36 states and FCT, below the national average of 4.3%. Approximately 57,000 people in Jigawa are unemployed out of a total labour force of 2,360,000.

Youth unemployment in Jigawa State stands at 5.3% — significantly higher than the overall rate, reflecting the difficulty young graduates and school-leavers face in accessing formal sector employment. Female unemployment (3.1%) exceeds male unemployment (1.9%), consistent with the national pattern of gender-based labour market exclusion.

Under the old NBS broad methodology — which included underemployment and those working under 20 hours per week — Jigawa's combined unemployment and underemployment rate was approximately 22.1% as of 2020. This figure better captures the full extent of labour market distress than the narrow rate alone.

👥 Unemployment by Category — Jigawa State

NBS Q3 disaggregated data

2.4%

Overall Rate

Narrow · ILO

5.3%

Youth (15–34)

Above avg

3.1%

Female Rate

Gender gap

1.9%

Male Rate

Below female

22.1%

Broad Rate

2020 (old method)

57,000

Unemployed Persons

Absolute count

2.36M

Labour Force

Total workforce

#35

National Rank

1 = highest unemp.

⚠️ Why is Unemployment High in Jigawa?

Jigawa's very low narrow unemployment rate masks chronic underemployment in subsistence agriculture. The state has limited industrial investment and depends heavily on federal FAAC allocations. Flooding in riverine communities regularly disrupts farming livelihoods. Child labour remains a challenge as families depend on all household members for farm work.

Jigawa State shares several structural challenges common across Nigerian states: a growing youth population entering the labour market faster than the formal economy creates jobs, limited industrial development relative to population size, and a public sector that cannot sustainably expand employment to absorb graduates.

Skills mismatch is a persistent challenge — employers in Jigawa's key industries report difficulty finding candidates with the right technical and vocational skills, while graduates with general degrees find limited opportunities. Bridging this gap through vocational education and apprenticeship programmes is a key policy priority.

🌱 Employment Opportunities in Jigawa State

Jigawa's Hadejia-Jama'are River valley is one of Nigeria's most fertile irrigation zones. The state is Nigeria's largest producer of sesame seeds — with significant export revenue potential. The Kiyawa Dam irrigation scheme supports year-round farming. Livestock trade is significant along the Kano-Katsina-Jigawa axis.

🏭 Top Employment Sectors — Jigawa State

By employment share

Agriculture

~35%

Government

~25%

Trade

~18%

Livestock

~14%

Note: Sector employment shares are approximate estimates for Jigawa State based on NBS LFS Q3 and state economic profile data.

🏢 Major Employers in Jigawa State

🏛️Jigawa State Government

🏛️Sule Lamido University

🏛️Federal Polytechnic Kazaure

🏛️Agricultural sector

📊 Jigawa vs Nigeria National Average

NBS Q3

Overall Unemployment

2.4%

Jigawa

4.3%

National

-1.9%

Youth Unemployment (15–34)

5.3%

Jigawa

8.6%

National

-3.3%

Female Unemployment

3.1%

Jigawa

5.2%

National

-2.1%

Male Unemployment

1.9%

Jigawa

3.7%

National

-1.8%

Broad Rate (2020)

22.1%

Jigawa

33.3%

National

-11.2%

🏛️ Government Employment Initiatives in Jigawa

The Jigawa State Government has implemented several initiatives to address unemployment. At the federal level, programmes targeting Jigawa residents include the N-Power graduate employment scheme, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) providing micro-loans to traders and farmers, and the Anchor Borrowers Programme which finances smallholder farmers.

The Jigawa State Ministry of Economic Planning and the State Employment Trust Fund (where established) coordinate local economic empowerment activities. NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programmes equip corps members serving in Jigawa with vocational skills including ICT, agriculture, fashion design and catering.

Private sector development — particularly in the key industries of Agriculture, Livestock, Government, Commerce — is the most sustainable path to reducing unemployment in Jigawa State. Federal and state investment in power infrastructure, road connectivity and security would create enabling conditions for private sector job creation.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Jigawa State Unemployment 2026

The unemployment rate in Jigawa State is 2.4% according to the NBS Labour Force Survey Q3 (narrow ILO definition). This is 1.9% below the national average of 4.3%. Jigawa ranks #35 among Nigeria's 36 states and FCT for unemployment.

Youth unemployment in Jigawa State stands at 5.3% (ages 15–34, narrow definition, NBS ). This is significantly higher than the adult unemployment rate of 2.4%, reflecting the challenges young graduates face in finding formal sector employment in Jigawa.

The top employment sectors in Jigawa State are: Agriculture, Government, Trade, Livestock. Major employers include Jigawa State Government, Sule Lamido University, Federal Polytechnic Kazaure, Agricultural sector.

Jigawa State's unemployment rate of 2.4% is 1.9% below Nigeria's national rate of 4.3% (NBS Q3 ). Nationally, Jigawa ranks #35 among 37 states and FCT. The state with the highest unemployment is Imo (9.8%) and the lowest is Zamfara (1.6%).

The narrow unemployment rate in Jigawa is 2.4% (ILO definition — people without work, available and actively seeking). The broad rate — which includes underemployment and people working fewer than 20 hours/week — was approximately 22.1% under the old NBS methodology last measured in 2020. Nigeria switched to the narrow ILO definition in 2021. Both figures are valid but measure different aspects of labour market distress.

📊 Data source: NBS Q3 — North-West zone disaggregated data. National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Labour Force Survey. All unemployment figures use the ILO narrow definition unless marked "broad". Data accuracy for conflict-affected states may be affected by IDP displacement. Page updated: August 2026. Source: nigerianstat.gov.ng ↗

Unemployment Rate by State in Nigeria — 2026

📉 Abia — 7.2% 📉 Adamawa — 3.8% 📉 Akwa Ibom — 8.9% 📉 Anambra — 6.8% 📉 Bauchi — 2.8% 📉 Bayelsa — 6.7% 📉 Benue — 4.1% 📉 Borno — 3.1% 📉 Cross River — 5.3% 📉 Delta — 5.9% 📉 Ebonyi — 4.8% 📉 Edo — 5.6% 📉 Ekiti — 5.1% 📉 Enugu — 5.4% 📉 FCT Abuja — 5.1% 📉 Gombe — 3.4% 📉 Imo — 9.8% 📉 Jigawa — 2.4% 📉 Kaduna — 4.8% 📉 Kano — 3.2% 📉 Katsina — 2.8% 📉 Kebbi — 1.9% 📉 Kogi — 4.3% 📉 Kwara — 4.1% 📉 Lagos — 7.4% 📉 Nasarawa — 3.9% 📉 Niger — 3.3% 📉 Ogun — 4.6% 📉 Ondo — 4.9% 📉 Osun — 4.7% 📉 Oyo — 6.2% 📉 Plateau — 4.4% 📉 Rivers — 8.1% 📉 Sokoto — 2.3% 📉 Taraba — 3.6% 📉 Yobe — 2.9% 📉 Zamfara — 1.6%