Every parent desires one thing, that their child has work that pays.
Today in Nigeria, millions of young people are doing something, but not enough to live on. Not because they are lazy, but because we have an uncontrolled appetite for imported items and we lost the era when we made what we use.
We import shoes from China that Aba can make. We import furniture that a Kaduna carpenter can make. We export crude oil and import fuel.
Look at the real numbers, and understand the trick:
Under the old NBS method (if you worked less than 20 hours a week, you were unemployed), youth unemployment (15-24) was 34% in 2019, 42.5% for 15-34 by Q4 2020, and peaked at 53.4% in Q4 2020 for youth 15-24. Combined unemployment + underemployment was over 55%.
In 2023, NBS changed method to match ILO, now if you work just 1 hour a week for pay, you are counted as employed. Under this new method:
- Q1 2023: National 4.1%, Youth 15-24 7.2%
- Q3 2023: National 5.0%, Youth 8.6%
- Q1 2024: National 5.3%, Youth 8.4%
- Q2 2024: National 4.3%, Youth 6.5%
But the real picture? 93% work in informal sector, 88% are self-employed, and over 14% of youth are NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training). People are working, but in low-quality, low-pay survival jobs. That’s why if we say “1 in 2 is unemployed or underemployed” is actually more truthful than the new 6% figure.
Why no quality jobs? 3 reasons:
- No electricity + no credit = factory closes.
- We import everything – kills local industry.
- Skills mismatch – school teaches theory, industry needs welding, coding, fashion, solar installation.
What Better Nigeria looks like:
- Industrial hubs in each zone: Aba for shoes/clothes, Nnewi for auto parts, Kano for leather, Lagos for tech.
- LGA Skill Centres: 6-month training in welding, tailoring, coding, solar installation + small grant to start. Institutionalize Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and apprenticeship.
- Buy Naija Law: Government uniforms, shoes, chairs must be made in Nigeria. If government buys Naija, factories will hire Naija youth.
Bangladesh did it with garments. Vietnam did it with shoes. Nigeria can do it with fashion, tech, and agriculture.
Your action today: Buy one Naija-made product this week; shoe from Aba, bag from Kano, tech service from Yaba. And mentor one young person with a skill you have.
Jobs don’t come from government alone. Jobs come when we make what we wear, eat, and use.
