Many Young Northerners Not In School, Work, Or Training, Says Agora Think-Tank

The northern states of Nigeria are facing a serious challenge with many young people not in school, work, or training, according to new data from the Agora Policy Labour Force Survey. This growing issue highlights sharp regional differences in youth engagement across the country, with particularly high rates of inactivity in education and employment found in the north.

This is evident in Nigeria’s labour market, which shows stark regional disparities in youth engagement. Recent data reveal significant variation in the proportion of young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) across the country.

The survey reveals that while the national average of young people aged 15–24 who are not in education, employment, or training stands at 15.6 per cent, northern states lag with much higher figures. This trend reflects deep socio-economic divides, including limited access to education, scarce job opportunities, and underdeveloped training infrastructure in these areas.

The latest official figures, drawn from the Agora Policy Labour Force Survey, point to concerning levels of youth disengagement that policymakers say could have long-term implications for economic growth and social stability.

According to the think tank, approximately 15.6 per cent of Nigerian youths aged 15–24 were classified as NEET in the most recent survey period, meaning they were not in school, not working, and not involved in any form of training or skills development.

But the national average masks sharp differences among states.

Abia state recorded the highest NEET rate in the country at 38.1 per cent, a figure more than double the national average, suggesting that over one in three young people in the state are neither learning nor working. Rivers followed closely with a NEET rate of 36.0 per cent, while Zamfara reported the lowest rate at just 4.5 per cent.

Experts say the disparities reflect deeper socio-economic divides within the country.

Youth employment specialist Dr. Simeon Okonji said factors such as educational access, urbanisation and the quality of local labour markets are driving the variation.

“States with higher NEET rates often have weaker education systems, fewer formal job opportunities, and limited vocational training infrastructure,” he noted. “This not only traps young people in cycles of inactivity but also undermines the wider economic potential of these regions.”

The data also show a gender gap in NEET rates, with young women disproportionately affected. NBS figures indicate that female youths are more likely to be NEET than their male counterparts, though the exact differential varies by state.

In Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, the NEET rate was lower than the national average, reflecting stronger access to employment and training opportunities. Youth coordinator Natasha Bello attributed this to private-sector hiring in urban industries as well as greater availability of short-course and tech-focused training programmes.

“Many young people here are learning digital skills or entering service industries,” Bello said. “It’s still tough, but there are pathways out of NEET status that simply don’t exist in many other states.”

In contrast, in some Northern states, where rural livelihoods dominate and formal education infrastructure is sparse, stakeholders say NEET rates remain stubbornly high. Community organiser Usman Sule, from a northern state with above-average NEET figures, said that improving school attendance and youth skills training are urgent priorities.

“We have to bring training closer to the communities,” he said. “Most youths here have no access to tertiary education or jobs, and traditional programmes haven’t reached them.”

Policymakers see the NEET metric as a key indicator of labour market health and future economic prospects. High NEET rates are linked to lost productivity, increased social vulnerability, and rising pressure on social support systems.

Labour economist Prof. Ronke Adeyemi said targeted state-level interventions are needed.

“National averages hide local realities,” she argued. “States with high NEET rates need tailored strategies that combine education reform, skills training, apprenticeships and private-sector engagement if we are to pull these young people into productive roles.”

As Nigeria continues to grapple with youth unemployment and economic restructuring, understanding and addressing the state-by-state NEET landscape will be crucial to ensuring that the country’s youth population becomes a driver of growth rather than a demographic liability.