The size and composition of the labour force of an economy has a significant connection
with the production and consumption activities of that economy. Labour statistics of a
country relate to the economic activity of the country’s population. This chapter discusses
concepts underlying measures of the economically active population, including the
dynamics in size and composition of the population, economic activity rate, industrial
and occupational distribution, and occupational involvement and educational attainment
based on the periodic population censuses results, with a major focus on the National
Population and Housing Census (NPHC) 2011. Employing a data-based descriptive
analytical approach, this study finds that (i) there is a decrease in the activity rate of the
economically active population in the census of 2011 compared to the census of 2001, (ii)
females’ economic activity rate is lower than that of males and the lower female activity
rate in urban areas is further lower in comparison to females’ activity rates of rural areas,
(iii) there is a sharp decline in the number of employers between 2001 and 2011 and an
increase in the number of self-employed, (iv) there is a significant increase in enrolment in
school and colleges affecting the economic activity rate in the economy, and (v) agriculture
is still the predominant activity that engages a large percentage of the population of the
country. These findings have several policy implications some of which are contained in
the conclusion part