45% of Nigerian Households Faced Job Loss or Business Setbacks in One Year — Report

A new SBM Intelligence survey has found that 45.3% of Nigerian households experienced a major employment-related setback in the past year, including job losses, business closures or difficulty finding work. The survey covered 1,180 respondents in 21 cities across the six geopolitical zones in July 2026. The Southeast recorded the highest rate of employment shocks at 66.5%, followed by the Northcentral at 61.3% and the South-South at 50.3%. The report linked the Southeast's hardship to infrastructure gaps, limited credit and security disruptions, while warning that the Northwest's lower figure may reflect dependence on subsistence farming rather than a stronger formal labour market. Relocation is becoming a major option for job seekers. About 79.1% of respondents said they would definitely move or consider moving to another region for a good job. Digital skills were the most preferred training path nationwide, while technology, ICT, agriculture and agro-processing were seen as key areas for job creation. An economic analyst said unemployment, insecurity and rising living costs are pushing more households into survival mode. The report recommended stronger digital-skills programmes, easier access to credit, vocational qualifications, better labour-market data and measures to reduce nepotism in recruitment.

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