Nigeria
generated nearly half a million jobs in the first quarter of 2015, the National
Bureau of Statistics said, on Thursday, in its new report.
The
report said between January and March, 469,070 jobs were created in all sectors
of the economy.
Former
President Goodluck Jonathan was in office during the period covered by the
report.
The
former government triggered controversy after it claimed to have created 1.2
million jobs in 2013.
Many
Nigerians rejected that claim, citing the scale of poverty and unemployment in
the country.
Critics
challenged the government to provide details of new jobs, and to explain why
the huge number rate of employment had an insignificant impact on the job
market.
In
May, the bureau of statistics announced a revised protocol for calculating
unemployment rate, concluding that the percentage of unemployed Nigerians stood
at about six per cent, against the previous 23.9 per cent.
The
new figure was also widely rejected.
The
National Bureau of Statistics said its assessment shows 469,070 jobs were
created in the economy during the first quarter, with the informal sector
yielding 332,403 new jobs as the most active.
Total
jobs created for the period, the report said, increased by 99,585 (about
26.95%) over 369,485 jobs in the 4th quarter of 2014.
In
the formal sector, the report said about 130,941 new jobs were created,
representing about 27.92% of total jobs created during the period under review.
The
figure declined by 7,085 (about 5.13%) when compared to the 138,026 new jobs
recorded in the fourth quarter of 2014.
The
figure was, however, about 72.3% higher than the number of jobs created in the
same period in 2014.
The
public sector of the economy, the report showed, added about 1,339 (about
30.5%) jobs, making a total of 5,726 new jobs, or 1.2% of the total jobs
created during the period.
The
informal sector jobs, the report said, increased by about 46.39%, from a total
of about 227,072 in the 4th quarter of 2014.
The
increase in informal sector jobs, which consisted those generated by
individuals or businesses employing less than 10 persons, or businesses
operating with little or no structures in agriculture and wholesale and retail
trades, the report said, was attributed to the sharp increase in numerous
informal economic activities that took place during the election period.
During
the survey, conducted late April and May 2015, due to the April general
elections, the NBS said new jobs by cadre showed that Managerial, Professional
and Technical Workers grew the most, from 32,974 employees in 4th quarter of
2014 to 47,921, representing a growth of 14,947 employees, or 45.32% during the
period under review.
A
total of 4,312 formal sector establishments were covered, including
proprietors, private limited liability companies, and cooperatives.
“The
growth made the Managerial, Professional and Technical workers cadre the most
dominant with the largest number of jobs created, representing 36.6% of the
total,” the report said.
Closely
followed was the Operative cadre, with 43,616 new jobs, or 33.31%, followed by
the Clerical and related office workers cadres getting 19,895 employees, or
15.19% of the total.
The
survey showed under jobs by economic activity, the Education Sector led the
employment figures during the period, with 58,329 jobs, or 44.55% of the total,
reflecting a 6.58% marginal rise, or 3,600 jobs, when compared with the 54,729
jobs recorded in the fourth quarter of 2014.
The
Manufacturing Sector was next, with 19,647 jobs, or 15% of the total, although
it showed a marginal drop of 37.43%, or 11,754 jobs when compared with the
figure in the fourth quarter of 2014, while the Trade sector created 15,206 new
jobs, or 11.61% of the total jobs.
The
Electricity, Gas, Steam and Air Conditioning Sector recoded the lowest number
of new jobs – only six during the period.
The
bureau said the proliferation of job recruitment companies in the country was a
strong indication of the significant availability of job opportunities in the
Nigerian economy.
It
said in spite of the slowdown in economic growth during the period, jobs were
being created in all the sectors of the economy.
The
statistics agency buttressed its assertion with the increased banking
activities as a result of the opening of new bank branches and expansion of
international and local wholesale and retail trading operations, accommodation
and food services, including large supermarkets and hotels.
“One
of the growing business activities that have been identified lately is the rise
in the number of recruitment companies in the country,” the NBS said. “This is
a strong indication of the significant availability of jobs in the economy that
needs to be filled up.”
Credit: PT
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