Unemployment Rate in Kaduna State 2026

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

4.8% Unemployment Rate Narrow · NBS Q3

9.7% Youth Unemployment Ages 15–34

31.8% Broad Rate (2020) Incl. underemployed

3.2M Labour Force Kaduna State

📊 Kaduna's 4.8% is +0.5% above the national average (4.3%) · Ranks #18 of 37

📊 Kaduna State Unemployment Overview 2026

NBS Q3

Kaduna State has an unemployment rate of 4.8% as of NBS Q3 (narrow ILO definition). This places the state at rank #18 among Nigeria's 36 states and FCT, above the national average of 4.3%. Approximately 156,000 people in Kaduna are unemployed out of a total labour force of 3,240,000.

Youth unemployment in Kaduna State stands at 9.7% — significantly higher than the overall rate, reflecting the difficulty young graduates and school-leavers face in accessing formal sector employment. Female unemployment (5.5%) exceeds male unemployment (4.2%), 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 — Kaduna's combined unemployment and underemployment rate was approximately 31.8% as of 2020. This figure better captures the full extent of labour market distress than the narrow rate alone.

👥 Unemployment by Category — Kaduna State

NBS Q3 disaggregated data

4.8%

Overall Rate

Narrow · ILO

9.7%

Youth (15–34)

Above avg

5.5%

Female Rate

Gender gap

4.2%

Male Rate

Below female

31.8%

Broad Rate

2020 (old method)

156,000

Unemployed Persons

Absolute count

3.24M

Labour Force

Total workforce

#18

National Rank

1 = highest unemp.

⚠️ Why is Unemployment High in Kaduna?

Kaduna was once Nigeria's industrial heartland with a thriving textile manufacturing sector. The collapse of Kaduna Textile Mills, UNTL and other factories in the 1990s-2000s eliminated tens of thousands of jobs. Ethnic and religious violence — most severely in 2011, 2014 and 2022 — has damaged the business environment and displaced communities. Banditry in southern Kaduna disrupts farming.

Kaduna 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 Kaduna'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 Kaduna State

Kaduna's industrial zones are being revived under the Uba Sani administration. The Kaduna Special Economic Zone (KADIPA) has attracted manufacturing investments. ABU Zaria's technology park is building a tech ecosystem. The Defence Industries Corporation (DICON) in Kaduna creates specialised manufacturing employment. Kaduna's road connectivity (A1 highway) supports trade.

🏭 Top Employment Sectors — Kaduna State

By employment share

Manufacturing

~35%

Government

~25%

Agriculture

~18%

Education

~14%

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

🏢 Major Employers in Kaduna State

🏛️Kaduna Textile Mills (legacy)

🏛️Kaduna State Government

🏛️ABU Zaria

🏛️Nasco Group

🏛️Defence Industries Corporation

📊 Kaduna vs Nigeria National Average

NBS Q3

Overall Unemployment

4.8%

Kaduna

4.3%

National

+0.5%

Youth Unemployment (15–34)

9.7%

Kaduna

8.6%

National

+1.1%

Female Unemployment

5.5%

Kaduna

5.2%

National

+0.3%

Male Unemployment

4.2%

Kaduna

3.7%

National

+0.5%

Broad Rate (2020)

31.8%

Kaduna

33.3%

National

-1.5%

🏛️ Government Employment Initiatives in Kaduna

The Kaduna State Government has implemented several initiatives to address unemployment. At the federal level, programmes targeting Kaduna 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 Kaduna 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 Kaduna with vocational skills including ICT, agriculture, fashion design and catering.

Private sector development — particularly in the key industries of Manufacturing, Defence/Military, Education, Agriculture — is the most sustainable path to reducing unemployment in Kaduna State. Federal and state investment in power infrastructure, road connectivity and security would create enabling conditions for private sector job creation.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Kaduna State Unemployment 2026

The unemployment rate in Kaduna State is 4.8% according to the NBS Labour Force Survey Q3 (narrow ILO definition). This is +0.5% above the national average of 4.3%. Kaduna ranks #18 among Nigeria's 36 states and FCT for unemployment.

Youth unemployment in Kaduna State stands at 9.7% (ages 15–34, narrow definition, NBS ). This is significantly higher than the adult unemployment rate of 4.8%, reflecting the challenges young graduates face in finding formal sector employment in Kaduna.

The top employment sectors in Kaduna State are: Manufacturing, Government, Agriculture, Education. Major employers include Kaduna Textile Mills (legacy), Kaduna State Government, ABU Zaria, Nasco Group, Defence Industries Corporation.

Kaduna State's unemployment rate of 4.8% is +0.5% above Nigeria's national rate of 4.3% (NBS Q3 ). Nationally, Kaduna ranks #18 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 Kaduna is 4.8% (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 31.8% 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 with Kaduna state disaggregation. 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%