International Journal of Trend in Scientific

Research and Development (IJTSRD)

Effect off Youth Unemployment in

Dr. E. M. Chukwuma
School of Business Studies
Business Administration and Management
Management,
Federal Polytechnic, Oko

ABSTRACT
Unemployment has become a major problem and have found gainful employment in some enterprise
causes that has being bedevilling the lives of Nigerian (Okafor, 2011).
youths, causing mayhem like increased militancy, arm
robbery, kidnappings violent crimes, restiveness and For official and statistical measurement, youth
some many social vices. Youth unemployment has unemployment is defined as someone
so who does not
devastated
astated the individual, families and the society as a have a job but is actively seeking work. It is
whole both psychologically and economically. This unemployment of young people as defined by United
paper examines the issues of youth unemployment Nation as 16 - 35 years old, willing and able work, of
and the possible ways of solving them through the official designated, working age. Youth
entrepreneurship, fighting corruption, enhancing skills unemployment in a Country like Nigeria, Ghana
G and
acquisition and so on. Kenya has official rate of unemployment four to five
times more than the adult rates in every country in the
A number of recommendations were made which world.
include that youth should be trained and engaged
African countries define youth as someone from as
skillful in their field of specialists.
young as 15 to someone well into their mid-thirties,
mid
which varies from the quoted standard of definition of
INTRODUCTION
the United Nations. Africa with the youngest
Every society across the globe has its peculiar population of any continent which signified that the
problems and challenges. Nigeria is not an exception problem of youth unemployment there is relevant and
as a developing country; she faces her own share of a thing of concern. Approximately 60 million people
social, political, economic and cultural problems in Nigeria are between the ages of 15 and 25, that is
which has in no small measure affected the well
well-being the more reason in school, the message they are
of the populace. Such problems bedevilling the receiving is to become job creators rather than job-
job
country include youth's unemployment, w which has a seekers; which encourages them to become
serious implication for national development. entrepreneurs.

Unemployment rate in Nigeria has continued to be on Unemployment youth has been called a lost
the increase despite the abundant human and natural generation, not because of productivity
prod loss but also
resources available in the Country. Every year, because of the long term direct and indirect impact
thousands of graduates are produced but there aare no unemployment has on young people and their
jobs for majority of them. In our Country, our streets families. Youth now in Nigeria live with their parents
are littered with youth hawkers who ordinarily would into their late thirties; this contributes to what is called
the full-nest syndrome.

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@ IJTSRD | Available Online @ www.ijtsrd.com | Volume – 2 | Issue – 2 | Jan-Feb
Feb 2018 Page: 1194
 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) ISSN: 2456-6470
We are entering the era of unparallel talent scarcity, not possess the skills needed by the employer of
which if left unaddressed will put a broke on labour for a formal employment. The course contents
economic growth around the world, and will of most tertiary institutions in Nigeria lack
fundamentally change the way we approach work- entrepreneurial contents that would have enabled
force challenges. According to the Global Talent Risk graduates to become job creators rather than job
Report (2011), youth is undeniably among the most seekers.
important formidable force and resources country can
have in order to boost its social economic c. Decline in Quality of Life: The decline in quality
development. Youth are energetic, courageous and of life depend largely on family income, insecurity,
poses new ideas that can make changes to the social intension and conflict. When there is decline in access
economic development, if they are well coordinated to shelter, education, healthcare and nutritional foods
and involved in economic activities of the country. are drastically reduced, this will result to reduction in
life span.
The problem of youth unemployment is more critical
to developing countries due to the high poverty level Corruption: This is a cankerworm that has
requiring all people to work in order to ensure permeated the entire social structure of Nigeria and
survival (ILO, 2011). If overlooked, youth has robbed the country of developing a vibrant
unemployment has a potential to have significant and economic base. Funds meant for development projects
serious social repercussions. Youth unemployment have been misappropriated, diverted or embezzled
has implications for social exclusion and division and stocked in foreign banks, thereby killing and
within the society (ILO, 2006). If prolonged, liquidation the economy at large.
unemployment may have negative consequences for
Rural Urban Migration: The rural urban migration
the later stages of working life in terms of lower
is another serious cause of youth unemployment.
wages and longer spells of unemployment. Instead,
Youths move from rural to urban areas in search of
the youths have now shifted their attention to cyber
greener pasture with the hope of securing lucrative
crime popularly known as yahoo, yahoo or "419".
employment in the industries. In addition to this, there
This is the wrong us of technological innovation,
is the concentration of social amenities in the urban
which ordinarily should have been channeled towards
centres.
technological advancement as found in U.S, united
Kingdom, China and Canada, the emerging world's Agriculture: Lampan (1974) report on the causes of
production and economic power. The large number of unemployment stated that agriculture is the taproot of
youths who are unemployed is capable of an economy. He warned that an attempt to give
undermining democratic practice as they constitute a agriculture activities a secondary attention in the
serious threat if engaged by the political class for economy of any nation would sooner or later create
clandestine activities (Adepegba, 2011). unemployment situation. Investigation into Nigeria
sources of revenue in the 1960s and 1970s showed
The aim of this paper is to examine the major factors
that agricultural products were the chief source of
that causes unemployment in Nigeria; raise issues on
income to the country. But with the neglect of
the effect of unemployment on the society and discuss
agriculture due to oil boom, the economy late failed,
ways of reducing unemployment in the society.
and has resulted to unemployment.
Causes of Youth Unemployment in Nigeria Dependency on foreign made goods: This is due to
a. Rapid Population Growth: It is observed that neglect to the indigenous technology and inadequate
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and patronage received by local industries from the
therefore high population growth rate has resulted in consumers and their government as well as the rate of
the rapid growth of the labour force, which is far profit reinvestment in the foreign owned industries in
outstripping the supply of jobs. the country.

b. Low Standard of Education: Because of our General Effects of Unemployment

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 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) ISSN: 2456-6470
unemployment has been identified as one of the major 3. Public Private Partnership
causes of social vices, including armed robbery,
destitution, prostitution, political, thurgery, Training to employment programs can be organized
kidnapping and many others. Musari (2009) alludes to and managed by work force intermediaries like
this fact by asserting that young people without any manpower Group by Government by NGO, or by
hope of getting employment has left the youths in employers themselves. The model is not limited to
vicious cycle of poverty that daily erodes their self- disadvantages nontraditional worker, but has been
confidence and bright future. Okafor (2005), also effective in reskilling experienced works who may
asserted the ruling class failed because they replaced need help in moving to related fields in response to
the vision, policy and strategy, which should be the changes in an industry.
thrust of every leadership with transactions, as each
4. Provision of Enabling Environment for
successive government took turns to prey on the
Investment and Industrialization
nation's wealth by using public power, resources,
good will, utilities as instrument of abuse, and Many countries of the world broke through in
personal gain. development because of their interest in small
businesses as a catalyst for development. Nigeria has
Among the serious problems this has brought to
one of the highest percentages of informal sector of
Nigeria are brain drain, loss of self-value and esteem,
65% to/0%, this informal sector will not only thrive
psychological trauma and loneliness, loss of drive and
and expand but will also employ over 50% of the
apathy toward work and violent behavior and social
unemployed youths in our country.
crime
5. Enhanced Skill Acquisition
Solutions to Unemployment in Nigeria
Hamel (1994) argued that for any person to compete
1. Entrepreneurship Approach effectively in an emerging economy that is knowledge
Entrepreneurship, when taking into consideration, the -driven , he or she must possess relevant job
need to foster competiveness through innovation and competences including technical, business, cultural
creativity, recent studies have advocated to which could be obtain from functional technical and
entrepreneurship as a viable tool and solution to youth vocational education.
unemployment. With the new contents in the tertiary
6. Fighting Corruption to Finish
institutions, young people could create enterprises as
means to find and create new jobs. According to Ilo Since Corruption is seem as a cankerworm and a cog
(2011), small businesses are today's main employers in the wheel of development in our country, a fight to
with 33% of jobs created over the last ten years. It finish most be declared to minimize or not eliminated
shows that the large companies no longer represent corruption agencies have to come out more strong,
the main sources of employment. government and non governmental agencies must rise
up to fight and condemn corruption in our country.
2. Technical and Vocational Education (TVE)
Entrepreneurship as Agent of Economic Growth
Technical and vocational education (TVE) is
concerned with the acquisition of skills and The increasing numbers of entrepreneurs as small
knowledge for employment and sustainable businesses holders in many nations all over the world
livelihood. Macleon and Wilson (2009). Technical and the vital roles they now play in the economic self-
education is the training of technically oriented reliance of developing countries as well as reducing
personnel's who are to be the initiators, facilitators the high rate of youth unemployment have attracted
and implementers of technological development of a some serious attention to that areas. Entrepreneur has
nation. (Uwaifo, 2005). Vocational education, on the been the main agents of change in many developing
other hand is the training and relining designed to and developed economic as a result of dynamism in
prepare individual to enter into a paid employment in their simple and flexible structures and driving force f
any recognized occupation. reduction of unemployment.
As Iguisi (2008) stressed that entrepreneur could
indeed play significant role in the economic

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 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) ISSN: 2456-6470
revitalization of Africa, as they have become the high Recommendation
growth poles of many African economics even as
acute poverty has swamped social groups and In the light of the crucial uses discussed above, the
economic conditions making the masses increasingly following recommendations are made;
reactive and stressful.
 All tertiary institution of high learning must
The International Labour Organization (ILO) encourage and support entrepreneurship
estimated that 80 percent of the people across Africa through their curriculum.
rely on small businesses and informal establishment  There must be steady supply of power to
for their livelihood. Therefore, the importance of attract foreign investors an assist the local
entrepreneurship to a nation's economic development, manufacturers.
employment generation and poverty reduction cannot  Training and retraining of the youth will go a
be over emphasized. long way in building and updating their skills
for future employment.
Entrepreneurship is essential for rapid and sustained
economic growth and development. It will creates the References
required man power and skills necessary for
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accelerated growth, reduce unemployment and
Spinning off an entrepreneurship culture among
poverty. It is therefore necessary and strategic for the
Nigeria University Studies: Prospect and
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Challenges. Africa Journal of Business
and increasing role to entrepreneurship in their effort
Management, 3, 81 – 89.
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Handbook of Education for the changing world of
Conclusion
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Nigeria's Democracy. This is because these youth 2008/9.washington D.C. World Bank.
could be manipulated to undermine the stability of
Nigeria's Democracy at any point in time.

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