The director general, Nigeria Employers Consultative Association of Nigeria (NECA), Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde. has likened Nigeria as sitting on kegs of gunpowder over youth unemployment.
In a chat with me, Oyerinde noted, “Youth unemployment can lead to frustration, hostility, and a sense of hopelessness, young people who are unable to find meaningful work may turn to social vices or criminal activities such as theft, drug abuse, and even militancy/Terrorism as seen in the Northern and Southern part of Nigeria currently.”
Furthermore he said, “A pool of unemployed youth can fuel political instability. When young people feel that the system is not working for them, they lose trust in government institutions, leading to widespread cynicism. In Nigeria, where ethnic and religious tensions already exist, a high rate of youth unemployment could exacerbate divisions and lead to more frequent political crises.
“One of the biggest challenges is the gap between policy formulation and effective implementation. While the Nigerian government introduces policies with noble intentions, the bureaucratic machinery often fails to execute them properly. Example, programmes like N-Power have faced delays in disbursement of stipends, poor management of participant databases, and inconsistent training quality. Such issues prevent beneficiaries from fully benefiting from the initiative, reducing its long-term impact.”
Moreover the NECA helmsman urged government to create easily accessible platform for unemployed people and government should set up National Internship Scheme: Develop a nationwide internship scheme where young people are placed in private sector companies, NGOs, or government agencies to gain hands-on experience. The government could incentivize private companies to participate by offering tax breaks or subsidies.
Job Matching Platforms: Create or expand digital platforms that match job seekers with employers based on skills and experience.
On his own part, the General Secretary, National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW), General Secretary, Comrade Ibrahim Walama, blamed government’s unsteady policies for mass unemployment in the country.
“It is not realistic at all, if Government is really serious on job creation, let them convene real stakeholders conference where the real issues hampering unemployment, and best approach, and the challenges can take tackled.”
On his part, the secretary general,
Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) Comrade Solomon Adebosin, simply said “If after two years, we’re still “promising”, when will it be actualised?”
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