Unemployment Rate in Yobe State 2026

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

2.9% Unemployment Rate Narrow · NBS Q3

6.2% Youth Unemployment Ages 15–34

24.9% Broad Rate (2020) Incl. underemployed

1.4M Labour Force Yobe State

📊 Yobe's 2.9% is 1.4% below the national average (4.3%) · Ranks #32 of 37

📊 Yobe State Unemployment Overview 2026

NBS Q3

Yobe State has an unemployment rate of 2.9% as of NBS Q3 (narrow ILO definition). This places the state at rank #32 among Nigeria's 36 states and FCT, below the national average of 4.3%. Approximately 42,000 people in Yobe are unemployed out of a total labour force of 1,440,000.

Youth unemployment in Yobe State stands at 6.2% — significantly higher than the overall rate, reflecting the difficulty young graduates and school-leavers face in accessing formal sector employment. Female unemployment (3.7%) exceeds male unemployment (2.3%), 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 — Yobe's combined unemployment and underemployment rate was approximately 24.9% as of 2020. This figure better captures the full extent of labour market distress than the narrow rate alone.

👥 Unemployment by Category — Yobe State

NBS Q3 disaggregated data

2.9%

Overall Rate

Narrow · ILO

6.2%

Youth (15–34)

Above avg

3.7%

Female Rate

Gender gap

2.3%

Male Rate

Below female

24.9%

Broad Rate

2020 (old method)

42,000

Unemployed Persons

Absolute count

1.44M

Labour Force

Total workforce

#32

National Rank

1 = highest unemp.

⚠️ Why is Unemployment High in Yobe?

Yobe has been severely affected by Boko Haram attacks, with Damaturu and Geidam bearing the brunt of violence. Large-scale IDP displacement has disrupted the agricultural economy. Security operations have consumed the state's resources that would otherwise go to economic development. The narrow unemployment rate may undercount the true extent of economic hardship.

Yobe 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 Yobe'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 Yobe State

Yobe is Nigeria's largest producer of gum arabic (acacia gum) — a globally traded commodity used in food and pharmaceuticals. Nguru wetlands support fishing and migratory bird eco-tourism. Post-conflict reconstruction is driving construction sector activity. Lake Nguru supports fishing as an alternative livelihood.

🏭 Top Employment Sectors — Yobe State

By employment share

Agriculture

~35%

Government

~25%

Trade

~18%

Humanitarian

~14%

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

🏢 Major Employers in Yobe State

🏛️Yobe State Government

🏛️Federal University Gashua

🏛️UN/NGO humanitarian sector

🏛️Agricultural sector

📊 Yobe vs Nigeria National Average

NBS Q3

Overall Unemployment

2.9%

Yobe

4.3%

National

-1.4%

Youth Unemployment (15–34)

6.2%

Yobe

8.6%

National

-2.4%

Female Unemployment

3.7%

Yobe

5.2%

National

-1.5%

Male Unemployment

2.3%

Yobe

3.7%

National

-1.4%

Broad Rate (2020)

24.9%

Yobe

33.3%

National

-8.4%

🏛️ Government Employment Initiatives in Yobe

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

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

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Yobe State Unemployment 2026

The unemployment rate in Yobe State is 2.9% according to the NBS Labour Force Survey Q3 (narrow ILO definition). This is 1.4% below the national average of 4.3%. Yobe ranks #32 among Nigeria's 36 states and FCT for unemployment.

Youth unemployment in Yobe State stands at 6.2% (ages 15–34, narrow definition, NBS ). This is significantly higher than the adult unemployment rate of 2.9%, reflecting the challenges young graduates face in finding formal sector employment in Yobe.

The top employment sectors in Yobe State are: Agriculture, Government, Trade, Humanitarian. Major employers include Yobe State Government, Federal University Gashua, UN/NGO humanitarian sector, Agricultural sector.

Yobe State's unemployment rate of 2.9% is 1.4% below Nigeria's national rate of 4.3% (NBS Q3 ). Nationally, Yobe ranks #32 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 Yobe is 2.9% (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 24.9% 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 — Note: Boko Haram displacement affects accuracy of Yobe 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%