For thousands of young Nigerians shut out of formal employment, the route from unemployment to self reliance may not begin with another certificate, but with a practical skill, the tools to practise it and access to a market where that skill can generate income.
This is the thinking behind the Federal Government’s decision to take its National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) beyond Abuja to Oyo, Enugu and Kebbi states, where 1,200 young Nigerians are expected to receive practical training in artificial intelligence and graphics design, solar energy installation, fashion, makeup and agriculture.
The intervention comes against the backdrop of a Nigerian labour market where the headline unemployment figure tells only part of the story. The latest official Nigeria Labour Force Survey available from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) puts unemployment at 4.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2024, down from 5.3 per cent in the first quarter, while youth unemployment among people aged 15 to 24 stood at 6.5 per cent.
More significantly, informal employment accounted for 93 per cent of employment, highlighting the reality that having a job does not necessarily translate into having a sustainable livelihood.
For millions of Nigerians, the challenge i, therefore, not simply finding work but finding productive work capable of providing a reliable income and a pathway out of poverty.
