Traditional Trades Lose Appeal As Youths Embrace Digital Economy

BY DAMILOLA ORIGBEMISUYI, FELIX IGBEKOYI, NNAMDI MBAWIKE, ATTAH ANTHONY, KALU EZIYI, ADEBAYO WAHEED, BABAJI USMAN BABAJI, IBRAHIM OBANSA, AZA MSUE and NONYE EKWENUGO

The growing appeal of content creation, software development, and other digital skills is pushing many Nigerian youths away from traditional trades such as fashion design, tailoring, and carpentry, as young people increasingly seek faster routes to income.

Checks by LEADERSHIP Sunday in Akure, the Ondo State capital, revealed that many youths now prefer online careers for the opportunities they offer, including global exposure and the possibility of earning income through digital platforms.

The development, however, is affecting apprenticeships in some traditional occupations, as fewer young people are interested in learning skilled trades.

A fashion designer, Theresa Ifadi, lamented the difficulty in getting apprentices, saying many young girls are no longer interested in learning vocational skills because they are attracted to quick money.

She noted that some of the few young people who enrol in apprenticeships do so under pressure from their parents, which affects their commitment to learning the trade.

“Most of the young girls today “are no longer patient to learn a skill. They want something that will bring money immediately. Their parents sometimes force the few that come, and because their heart is not in it, the zeal and passion to learn the work are not there,” Ifadi said.

Also, a public a”fairs analyst, Gbenga Abimbola, acknowledged that content creation has become a major source of income for some young Nigerians but warned that the sector is highly competitive and requires dedication to succeed.

“Content creation is a real business, and people are making money from it, but it is also a very competitive space. Young people who want to venture into it should still have something doing because there is no guarantee that everyone who goes into content creation will succeed,” Abimbola said.

He urged you to combine digital skills with practical knowledge, noting that traditional trades remain relevant despite the rise of the digital economy.

Alhaji Jimoh Nadiru, a motor mechanic, said many artisans, including tailors, mechanics, tillers, masons, and others, are lamenting the reluctance of the youths to learn a trade, saying many young people no longer have the patience to learn a trade but would rather take to commercial motorcycling or even internet fraud.

Asked what could be fueling the dwindling loss of interest in young people learning such skills, he said, “Some children are not serious,” while others lack patience. They want to start life from the end, not the beginning where we started.

“Some also lack concentration, “nd instead of concentrating on what they are here for, they are influenced by peer groups. Most of them are after money, so it becomes difficult to concentrate on the job.”

According to him, all the young boys who should learn this kind of job only embrace things that can give them quick money, saying it takes good upbringing and monitoring to embrace apprenticeship in this modern age.

In most parts of Cross River State, several workshops that used to be full of young men and women as apprentices have become empty in recent times.

The issue of the apprenticeship system, where several young men and women are usually seen engaged in particular trades such as carpentry, upholstery, bricklaying, motor and motorcycle mechanics, hairdressing, and barbing salons, has been shrinking in recent times.

This follows the quest by young people for quick and easy wealth, who no longer want to spend 5 to 6 years under the sun working hard to earn a living without being able to own a car.

A youth leader in Çalabar South local government area of Cross River State, Mr Steve Effiong, who spoke on the issue, said, “How can I be working under the sun for more than five to seven years without being able to own my own car? That kind of culture doesn’t work any longer when I don’t make buyers buy cars after two to three years of making skits.”

Also, 22-year-old Nancy Ari”po, a resident of Ekpo Abasi Street, Çalabar, said that even though she doesn’t encourage young people doesn’tnvolved in yahoo yahoo (cyber criminality), she has seen many who are involved in the scam trade, Tik Tok, Okada riding and POS business make quick money to own a car than struggling in a hair and beauty salon that makes you work so hard to make money.

A public affairs analyst in Cross River, Mr Mathew Agbor, described the development in which youths run away from genuine trade and skill acquisition programmes and engage in get-rich-quick enterprises as a national paradox, with millions of youths unemployed. Still, no good vulcaniser, plumber, tiler or auto electrician, he said, had forced many contractors to import artisans from Cotonou, Togo and Benin to do plaster of Paris (POP) and tiling work.

Another public commentator, Mr Ndem Charles, said there is no sustainable future in the direction youths are running, as content creation is not and will not be sustainable in Nigeria.

A web developer and social media management expert in Abia State, Thompson Etuk, said youth engagement in traditional handiwork has become too outdated.

Etuk, who also referred to himself as an online strategist, said the youths have more to gain, both status-wise and financially, from content creation and digital software than from traditional handiwork.

He argued that while traditional handiwork is localised, content creation and digital software are globalised and are not only appealing to them, but also the in-thing among them.

A reporter with one of the national dailies and blogger, who craved anonymity, said there is no point of comparison between traditional handiwork, and content creation and digital software.

He explained that there is much hope for the youth in content creation and digital software because of their legitimacy and prospects for a brighter future, “if only they are honest and hardworking.”

Content creation and digi”al s”ftware business goes with education which most of them have acquired. More so, it gives them independence and opportunity to work at their own pace and in privacy.”

Driven by harsh economic conditions, inflation, and the allure of going viral, youths in Oyo State view the digital space as a faster route to financial survival than years of physical apprenticeship.

As a result, many young Nigerians are shifting away from traditional trades and handiwork toward content creation and digital work.

A content creator, Saheed Adewale, noted that manual labour, tailoring, carpentry, and welding were often viewed as strenuous, low-income paths with slow financial returns.

According to him, viral success stories of skit makers, influencers, and crypto/data analysts create a perceived shortcut to wealth.

He explained that high inflation and the devaluation of the naira make immediate, foreign-currency-earning digital jobs far more attractive than local physical markets.

While noting that youth need a smartphone and cheap mobile data to start creating content or learning digital analysis, he said platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram have turned everyday youth into micro-entrepreneurs and brand influencers.

He added that digital skills allow remote workers to bypass local economic stagnation and tap into international markets.

On whether there is sustainable future in content creation and digital software, he said the digital economy, he said they have a very strong and sustainable future.

According to him, digital tools and online media continue to grow fast.

“New tech like smart computer tools and virtual spaces create fresh jobs and needs every day,” he added.

He said content cr”ation is sustainable because people spend more time online looking for news, fun videos, and learning guides; creators sell items, art, and advice straight to fans without big companies in the middle and smart computer helpers make work faster and let small teams make big projects.”

He said digital software is” also sustainable because every business worldwide needs apps, security, and cloud storage to run effectively. “Programmes are never truly finished; they always need fixes, safety updates, and new features, and that software helps fix big issues in health, money, and travel.”

However, he said they lack safety nets, pensions, or steady monthly salaries, leaving many creators struggling despite a large follower count.

A software Engineer, Mr Obinna Azuka told our correspondent that the move from skilled jobs to content creation and digital software platforms is driven by poor local compensation, high inflation, and the lucrative monetization potential of software, contentmonetization platforms.

He stated that he views the development as a pragmatic survival strategy but warned of long-term structural risks to the physical workforce.

Speaking further, Mr Azuka stated that traditional skilled and professional jobs often offer entry-level salaries that fail to cover basic costs like transport, housing, and data.

He added that content creation requires minimal startup capital like a smartphone and an internet connection – compared to setting up a physical trade or business.

He added that platforms like TikTok and YouTube provide foreign-currency earnings or brand partnerships that bypass local corporate bottlenecks.

Despite massive unemployment among youths, fewer young apprentices are attending workshops across Gombe metropolis to learn welding, tailoring, carpentry, or auto mechanics.

Instead, many are gravitating toward smartphones, laptops, and Wi-Fi routers, chasing careers in content creation, graphic design, and freelance digital work.

Many young people in Gombe said that content creation demands little upfront capital – just a phone and data are often enough. At the same time, a mechanic or tailor’s apprenticeship can take time before yielding independent income.

“I have been in tailoring for over 10 years. I could not even pay my school fees. Now, I send files and other digital work with my laptop to customers, and I am getting considerable money, thank God”, said Jamilu Mohammed, popularly known as Maisaje.

‎But analysts caution that the sector is far from a guaranteed payoff. Musa Adamu, a local market analyst and a stakeholder in Gombe New Market, noted that as more people enter content creation and platforms tighten monetisation rules, the market may be near monetisation, leaving many creators building careers on unstable ground.

‎He maintained that practical obstacles compound the risk, particularly outside major cities, where an unreliable power supply and inconsistent high-speed internet access remain challenges that undermine both the motivation to create and the sustainability of creative enterprises

‎There are, however, more sustainable niches emerging within the same digital wave. Rather than chasing viral entertainment content, some Nigerian creators are pivoting toward “edutainment”: teaching practical skills on one.

‎Besides Mr Adamu, several analysts, however, argue that creators focusing on skill acquisition, such as coding tutorials, digital marketing, and vocational training, are building sustainable businesses that earn significantly. Ironically, this suggests digital platforms may eventually help revive interest in traditional skills rather than replace them entirely, if positioned as a marketing and distribution tool for artisans rather than a substitute for the craft itself.

‎On his part, the Special Adviser to the Taraba State Governor on Digital Economy, Mr Justin Tyopuusu, cautioned Nigerian youths against abandoning vocational and technical skills in pursuit of careers in content creation and software development.

‎The governor’s aide, who is also the governor’s director of the Made in Nigeria Project Office in Taraba State, said Nigeria needs producers of what Nigerians use on a daily basis, not just content creators who add no significant value to the country’s economy.

‎Mr Tyopuusu: Countryside, while the digital economy offers significant opportunities, it should complement rather than replace traditional trades that have long sustained the nation’s economy.

‎He noted that young Nigerians are increasingly leaving skilled handiwork and other productive ventures because they perceive digital careers as quicker routes to wealth.

‎He, however, warned that relying solely on digital opportunities could be risky, saying the online space is highly competitive and unpredictable.

‎”Content creation and software “evelopment have a great future, but they are not guaranteed sources of income for everyone,” he said.

‎The governor’s aide”said digital plgovernor’sould be used to promote locally made products, attract new customers and enable Nigerian entrepreneurs to compete in the global marketplace.

‎”The future belongs to those wh” can combine innovation with production, because no nation can build a strong economy by consuming digital content alone,” he said.

‎He called on youths” to embrace practical skills alongside digital innovation as a pathway to sustainable livelihoods and national economic development.

‎A growing number of young people in Kogi State are abandoning traditional trades and skilled handiwork in favour of content creation and software-related careers, as they seek alternative sources of income amid rising unemployment and economic hardship.

‎Findings by LEADERSHIP Weekend indicate that many youths now see the digital economy as a faster route to financial independence, with social media content creation, graphics design, software development, digital marketing and other technology-driven ventures attracting increasing attention.

‎However, stakeholders have warned that while the digital economy presents enormous opportunities, it should complement rather than replace technical and vocational skills that remain critical to national development.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP Sunday, a youth development advocate, Hajara Momoh, attributed the growing shift to the scarcity of formal employment opportunities and changing economic realities.

She said many young people now consider content creation and digital skills viable career options because they offer flexibility, self-employment, and the potential to earn a sustainable income.

She said, “With formal job opportunities “ecoming increasingly competitive or inaccessible, the digital space has emerged as a self-determined pathway for many young people to attain financial independence and social relevance.

“The expansion of internet acce”s and the increasing availability of specialised digital skills training have alspecializedted significantly to this transition.”

Also, the executive director of Renaissance Care and Empowerment Foundation (RECEF), Ambassador Idris Ozovehe Muraina, cautioned against the wholesale abandonment of technical and vocational trades, stressing that content creation alone cannot sustain the nation’s future workforce.

In the nation, more young people are embracing content creation and other digital ventures, with many opting for these careers over traditional trades such as tailoring, welding, carpentry, and shoemaking. The trend is being driven by prospects of better earnings, greater visibility, and broader opportunities, even as concerns grow over declining interest in vocational skills.

A Kaduna-based content creator, Silvanus Dabbason, popularly known as Kaptin Sylva Dee, told our correspondent that content creation has proved more rewarding for him than conventional employment.

He said the income he earns from creating digital content is enough to discourage him from seeking jobs with either the government or private organisations.

Dabbason said he learned that organisations were venturing into content creation, but later abandoned the trade after discovering the opportunities available in the digital space.

He encouraged those interested in digital careers to acquire the necessary skills and remain committed, stressing that sustainable success does not come overnight.

Also, in Benue state, many young and old have joined content creation. Apart from financial gains, some of them believe that content creation makes them their own bosses and gives them more freedom than traditional trades.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP Sunday, a Benue movie actor, Seedoff Mbapuun, explained why he chose movie acting and content creation over traditional trades, “The main reason I started acting in movies and short comics, also known as content creation, was the passion I have in the industry. I went to university to study theatre arts and become a professional, outstanding creator. In Benue, they call me Benue Peter Edochie because of the role I play in many movies. I joined some content creators for a short comic,” he said.