18/08/2022
The population of youths in Africa is growing rapidly, and by 2030, it is expected that the number of young Africans would make up 42 percent of the world’s youth and account for 75 percent of those under age 35 in Africa. Which explains why there’s no better time to create strategic solutions to the unemployment crisis facing youths across Africa, using Nigeria as a point of study.
According to a report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in 2021, Nigeria’s unemployment rate has risen from 27.1 per cent in the second quarter of 2020 to 33 per cent. Unemployment for people aged 15 to 24 stood at 53.4 per cent in the fourth quarter and at 37.2 per cent for people aged 25 to 34. Unfortunately, as the young population increases, so does the unemployment rate. The lack of decent jobs has caused some youths to become nuisances and threats to their society and even to their governments. If this issue is not addressed on time, it might become a bigger problem in the future.
How can we eradicate youth unemployment in Nigeria? Investment in youths would be achieved if policymakers would increase their investment in youths. Investing in youths also means that we are investing in Nigeria’s future. Policymakers should foster more entrepreneurial skills and provide more decent jobs in sectors like agriculture, tech, and services, where a large number of young people are closing in on them. In addition, there should be an increase in the employability skills of Nigerian youths.Crucial programmes like online training and courses that can be geared towards the needs of the labour market should be put in place.
Additionally, there should be an improvement in the quality of education across all levels. Proper teaching and teaching equipment should be provided for both primary and secondary schools, including higher institutions. For example, during the ASU strike, a lot of students have been at home for months. While some are taking advantage of this, others are not. At least the government should have provided platforms for these students to improve themselves and even increase their earning power; that way, they wouldn’t be lured into doing illegal acts.
