Youth Unemployment

TOPIC : YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IN NIGERIA

INTRODUCTION Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the eighth most populous coun try in the world with a population of 154, 729,000 citizens. Our nominal GDP is $207. 116 billion and we have a nominal per capita income of $1,4011. Nigeria al so has the second largest economy in Africa . If I may ask, is this country not blessed? Yet, it is still plagued by youth unemployment which had been one of ou r major problems in recent years. Both government and the private sector had dis cussed this issue at forums and conferences but have not found a solution to it. Its continued existence had been linked to lack of power supply and financial e mpowerment for youths. Youth unemployment in Nigeria is mostly referred to as gr aduate unemployment and this means that only the skilled youths are seen as unem ployed while the unskilled youths are not given any consideration. However, yout hs are not a homogeneous group and their employment prospects differ according t o numerous factors ranging from region to gender to schooling. As I write this paper, there are thousands of youths in Nigeria that are unemp loyed and it is as if there won’t be a solution to this problem.

THE EFFECTS OF YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT ON NIGERIA Various crimes and social vices in Nigeria had been on the increase since mid – 1990s2 and they include prostitution, internet scam, political violence, kidnapp ing, militancy (in the Niger Delta), drug trafficking, armed robbery etc. The co ntinued existence of these vices has been linked to the scarcity of jobs in Nige ria .

Prostitution, for instance, rose during the mid – 1990s with female Nigerian you ths being trafficked to Italy.3 Internet scam had also been on the increase in r ecent years. Political violence, kidnapping and other vices had also been increa sing recently. These vices have a negative effect on the country because they have been the fea r of most foreign investors and they are also giving the...