NLC rejects NBS unemployment rate report, says Tinubu’s government fabricated figures to deceive Nigerians

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has challenged aspects of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report.

The NBS in its latest report stated that Nigeria’s unemployment rate declined to 4.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2024, signalling improved labour market conditions.

According to the report, this marks a decrease from the 5.3 per cent recorded in Q1 2024 and reflects a gradual recovery from the 5.0 per cent in Q3 2023.

The Labour Force Participation Rate rose to 79.5 per cent, up from 77.3 per cent in the previous quarter, highlighting increased workforce engagement.

The Employment-to-Population Ratio also showed significant improvement, climbing to 76.1 per cent in Q2 2024 from 73.2 per cent in Q1 2024.

This indicates that a higher proportion of the working-age population was gainfully employed during the period.

This suggests a need for targeted gender-inclusive policies to bridge the employment gap.

The report read, “The unemployment rate is defined as the share of the labour force not employed but actively searching for and available for work.

“Unemployment is one of the components of labour underutilisation. The unemployment rate for Q2 2024 was 4.3 per cent, showing an increase of 0.1 percentage point compared to the same period last year.

“The unemployment rate among males was 3.4 per cent and 5.1 per cent among females.

“By place of residence, the unemployment rate was 5.2 per cent in urban areas and 2.8 per cent in rural areas. Youth unemployment rate was 6.5 per cent in Q2 2024, showing a decrease from 8.4 per cent in Q1 2024.”

Time-related underemployment, which measures workers seeking additional hours, dropped to 9.2 per cent in Q2 2024 from 10.6 per cent in Q1.

Labour underutilisation metrics also improved, with LU2 (unemployment and time-related underemployment) decreasing to 13.0 per cent from 15.3 per cent in the previous quarter.

LU3 and LU4 metrics, which include potential labour force participation, also recorded declines to 5.9 per cent and 14.5 per cent, respectively.

However, in an interview with The PUNCH, Chris Onyeka, the national assistant general secretary of the NLC, criticised the report and described it as a “voodoo document” that fails to reflect the stark realities Nigerians face daily.

Onyeka said the figures are a “fabrication designed to mislead the public”, adding that the data was inconsistent with the deteriorating economic landscape.

“Unemployment cannot be coming down in Nigeria when factories are closing shops,” he said.

It cannot be coming down when there is increasing inventory and reduced consumer spending. If anything, unemployment is increasing.”

He questioned the methodology behind the report, describing it as a “figment of imagination concocted by people who want to manipulate figures”.

He also challenged the NBS to substantiate its claims by identifying the sectors supposedly generating jobs.

“Once data does not reflect reality, it loses relevance. Unfortunately, the NBS has lost credibility as a result of the data they continue spewing out,” he said.

“Where are the jobs coming from? Is it from employers who are complaining of consumer resistance and slowing economic activities? It doesn’t add up.

“The truth remains: the NBS has become a failed institution, much like INEC in the eyes of the public.”

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