Private sector employment Nigeria leads job creation, says NECA DG Adewale Oyerinde, highlighting broad economic impact beyond direct employees

Private sector employment in Nigeria remains the nation’s dominant source of jobs, according to Adewale Oyerinde, Director-General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA).

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In an interview aired on Channels Television on Tuesday, Oyerinde dismissed the long-held belief that the government is the country’s largest employer.

“It is an error to think that the government is the biggest employer in Nigeria. I don’t agree with that,” he said.

Oyerinde asserted that the private sector drives job creation, not only through direct employment within companies but also across expansive value chains, including suppliers, distributors, and logistics partners.

Using the example of a manufacturing firm with 50,000 employees, he noted that shutting such a factory would ripple through the economy—potentially affecting another 100,000 to 150,000 indirect jobs.

“At the back end, you have suppliers, and at the front end, distributors. When a factory closes, it’s not just direct staff who suffer — the entire ecosystem takes a hit,” he explained.

Despite mounting operational challenges such as high energy costs, policy instability, and inflation, Oyerinde emphasised that the private sector continues to bear the brunt of job creation in Nigeria.

NECA, founded in 1957, has long served as the voice of employers in Nigeria’s organised private sector, representing businesses that collectively sustain millions of jobs across industries.

Official figures reveal that the Federal Government employs around 720,000 civil servants, according to the Bureau of Public Service Reforms.

Lagos State alone employs about 120,000 civil servants, with other states and local governments contributing additional numbers.

However, consolidated national data remains unavailable, and these public sector roles pale in comparison to the employment power of the private sector when value chain jobs are considered.

Oyerinde’s remarks come at a time when Nigeria faces rising unemployment and companies continue to exit the market due to an unfavourable business climate.

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He urged the government to partner more deliberately with the private sector to stabilise the economy and reduce job losses.