By Ayo Kehinde
The Nigeria Labour Congress has vehemently rejected the latest unemployment report by the National Bureau of Statistics, describing it as a “voodoo document” crafted to mislead the public.
The NBS report, released on Monday, claimed a significant drop in Nigeria’s unemployment rate to 4.3% in Q2 2024, down from 5.3% in Q1 2024 and 5.0% in Q3 2023.
It also highlighted an increase in the Labour Force Participation Rate to 79.5%, up from 77.3% in the previous quarter, and a boost in the Employment-to-Population Ratio to 76.1% from 73.2%.
According to the NBS, self-employment dominated the workforce, accounting for 85.6% of total employment, an increase from 84% in Q1 2024. Informal employment also rose slightly to 93.0%.
Additionally, youth unemployment (ages 15–24) reportedly declined to 6.5%, compared to 8.4% in Q1 2024.
Reacting to the report, the NLC, through its Assistant General Secretary, Chris Onyeka, dismissed the data as a fabrication aimed at distorting reality.
Onyeka criticised the NBS for what he termed an “INEC-style manipulation” of figures, questioning the logic behind the reported decline in unemployment amid evident economic struggles.
“Unemployment cannot be coming down in Nigeria when factories are shutting down, inventories are piling up, and consumer spending is drastically reduced.
“If unemployment is truly declining, where are the jobs coming from? Certainly not from employers struggling with slowing economic activities and consumer resistance,” Onyeka said.
He argued that the figures do not align with the harsh realities faced by Nigerians, warning that such misrepresentations erode the credibility of the NBS.
He added, “Once data does not reflect reality, it loses relevance.
“Unfortunately, the NBS has become a failed institution, much like INEC in the eyes of the public.”
The Labour Congress further challenged the NBS to substantiate its claims with verifiable data.
Onyeka stressed that the public deserves transparency and accurate information, especially as the country grapples with widespread economic challenges.
