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Nigeria

World bank, 2018
Poverty headcount ratio at $3.65 a day (2017 PPP) (% of population)
64%
Population below international poverty line

Equivalent to 65,000.00 Nigerian naira per worker per month.
WageIndicator Foundation, 2024

66
per month
National minimum wage

Equivalent to 232,948 Nigerian naira for a typical family in rural Nigeria per month.
Global Living Wage Coalition, 2023

237
per month
Rural living income
World bank, 2022
Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)
38%
Agricultural workforce
World bank, 2023
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (% of GDP)
15%
Agriculture share of GDP

ITUC Global Rights Index, 2023
Systematic violation of rights.

4
high
Risk to workers' rights

Context

Nigeria has a population of approximately 224 million[1] and an almost equal distribution between urban (54%)[2] and rural (46%)[3] population. The agricultural sector accounts for 38% of total employment[4] and represents 23% of the national GDP.[5]

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and one of the most promising economies on the continent. However, in the rural areas of Nigeria, poverty is a major problem that is compounded by the lack of opportunities for young people. Most of the country’s rural population are smallholder subsistence farmers. These farmers grow their crops on plots without irrigation and are therefore completely dependent on rainfall. This is detrimental, especially in the northern part of the country which often experiences droughts. Furthermore, the poor quality of the country’s road network has greatly undermined the development of the agricultural sector. In addition, over-cultivation, deforestation, and overgrazing have greatly degraded the quality of the soil. [6]

The top produced commodities in Nigeria are yams, cassava, maize, palm oil and rice.[7] Nigeria’s main export commodities in quantity are sesame seeds, cocoa beans, wheat bran, and soybeans.[8]
Footnotes
  1. ^ World Bank (2023). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=NG
  2. ^ World Bank (2023). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS?locations=NG
  3. ^ World Bank (2023). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS?locations=NG
  4. ^ World Bank (2022). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS?locations=NG
  5. ^ World Bank (2023). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NV.AGR.TOTL.ZS?locations=NG
  6. ^ IFAD. Country Profiles: Nigeria. https://www.ifad.org/en/web/operations/country/id/nigeria
  7. ^ FAOSTAT (2022). http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#rankings/commodities_by_country
  8. ^ FAOSTAT (2022). http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#rankings/commodities_by_country_exports

Wages

Minimum wage

The minimum wage in Nigeria is set by law at 65,000 Nigerian naira (66 EUR) per month. It is based on 5 working days of 8 hours per week.[1] All workers must receive at least this minimum wage and employers who fail to meet this payment are subject to sanctions by the Nigerian government. Despite this labour law, the government has not been effective in its enforcement and when it sanctioned non-compliance, the penalties were too low to have a significant impact. In addition, the government has placed severe obstacles to collective bargaining. The law does not protect unions from general discrimination nor does it mandate the reinstatement of fired workers on the basis of union activity. Workers can protest through formalised unions, but the police rarely give permission for public demonstrations, and if they do, they usually end with violent interventions and arrests of union members.[2]

Footnotes
  1. ^ WageIndicator Foundation (2024). Minimum Wage-Nigeria. https://wageindicator.org/salary/minimum-wage/nigeria
  2. ^ U.S. Department of State. 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nigeria. https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/nigeria

Living income

The Global Living Wage Coalition has developed a Living Income reference value study for rural Nigeria based on the Anker methodology.

The Anker Living Income Reference Value for 2023 for rural Nigeria is estimated at 232,948 Nigerian naira (237 EUR) per month. This is the estimated monthly cost for a typical family in rural Nigeria to cover a basic but decent standard of living. It is important to note that due to the large variability in poverty levels across Nigerian's regions, the living income estimate may be too high for some of the poorest areas in the north of the country and too low for the more developed southern states. [1]

Footnotes
  1. ^ Global Living Wage Coalition (2023). Anker Living Income Reference Value: Rural Nigeria. https://globallivingwage.org/living-income-reference-value-rural-nigeria/

What's happening

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Cassava Supply Chain Inclusion in Nigeria

The IDH cassava program promotes an inclusive cassava supply chain model and empowers smallholders through increased income and productivity.

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Ginger Farmer's Income

Scientific article exploring the factors  affecting income generation for ginger farmers in Nigeria.

resource

Living Income Reference Value, Rural Nigeria

Living income estimate for a typical family in rural Nigeria to cover the monthly cost of a basic but decent standard of living.

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