The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said that 469,070 jobs were created in the first quarter of this year in the country.
The NBS said in a report released on Thursday in Abuja that the figures represented an increase of 99,585 jobs or 26.95 per cent over the number created in the preceding quarter and 94.7 per cent more than what was recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2014.
The Bureau said that while the formal sector generated 130,941 or 27.92 per cent, the informal sector accounted for 332,403, compared to the 227,072 new jobs in the 4th quarter of 2014, signifying a 46.39 per cent increase between the two periods.
It added that under the informal sector, comprising jobs generated by individuals or businesses employing less than 10 or those businesses operating with little or no structures, such as those in agriculture and wholesale and retail trade, the NBS stated that the 332,403 new jobs were expected in view of the numerous informal economic activities that came up during the election period.
Making further clarification on the formal sector, the NBS disclosed that the 130,941 new jobs showed a decline of 7,085 or 5.13 per cent when compared to the fourth quarter of 2014 but a 72.3 per cent increase when compared to the same period in 2014.
It also reported 1,339 or 30.5 per cent increase in the jobs created in the public sector.
According to the NBS, this makes it 5,726 new jobs generated in the public sector, which also represent 1.2 per cent of the total jobs generated during the reference period.
The Bureau also stated that increase in formal jobs came from the cadre of Managerial, Professional and Technical Workers which rose from 32,974 employees in the fourth quarter of last year to 47,921 in Q1 this year, indicating a growth of 14,947 or 45.32 per cent.
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