Nigeria is grappling with its worst youth unemployment crisis in history, with nearly 80 million young people currently without jobs a figure representing more than half of the nation’s youth population.
This alarming statistic is contained in the State of the Nigerian Youth Report 2025, unveiled on Monday in Abuja by Jonathan Abakpa, Advocacy and Youth Programme Officer at Plan International Nigeria, during the Nigerian Youth Dialogue to mark International Youth Day. The event was hosted by the House of Representatives Committee on Youth in Parliament.
A Nation Producing Graduates Without Jobs
According to the report, Nigeria’s education-to-employment pipeline is collapsing under the weight of systemic dysfunction. Each year, about 1.7 million graduates leave universities and polytechnics, yet the country’s stagnant job market absorbs only a fraction of them.
“This is not just a statistic it represents shattered dreams and wasted talent,” Abakpa warned, adding that the despair has pushed many young Nigerians into irregular migration, cybercrime, drug trafficking, and other high-risk survival strategies.
Insecurity Worsening the Crisis
Beyond unemployment, the report painted a grim picture of how insecurity is crippling the lives and opportunities of young Nigerians.
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Over 600,000 people have been killed in violent conflicts, while 2.2 million have been kidnapped in recent years, with youth accounting for the largest share of victims.
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More than 1,500 schools have shut down in the past two years due to banditry and insurgency, leaving over one million children out of classrooms.
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Tribal clashes and terrorist attacks have displaced 2.6 million people, mostly farmers, and claimed 77,000 lives within five years, devastating the agricultural sector.
The ripple effect on food production has been catastrophic. UNICEF recently warned that 25 million Nigerians are at risk of acute hunger due to abandoned farmlands and disrupted supply chains.
Poverty and Corruption as Fuel
The report further highlighted that 40.1 per cent of Nigerians about 82.9 million people live below the poverty line. For the youth, poverty is not just an absence of income but a barrier to choices, education, and future opportunities.
Corruption, the report argued, remains a major obstacle to progress. Funds earmarked for development are routinely diverted, widening inequality and eroding confidence in government institutions.
Lawmakers Respond
Reacting to the findings, Hon. Ayodeji Alao-Akala, Chairman of the House Committee on Youth in Parliament, acknowledged the urgency of the crisis and pledged that the National Assembly would intensify efforts to pass youth-focused legislation.
He described Nigerian youths as “the future of the nation” and noted that parliament had already taken steps to expand opportunities through bills and motions targeting education, entrepreneurship, and job creation.
Nigeria vs. Other African Nations
Nigeria’s youth unemployment crisis stands out as one of the most severe globally:
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South Africa: Youth unemployment is about 45%, high but still below Nigeria’s 53%. The country also has more structured job-creation programs.
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Kenya: Roughly 20% of young Kenyans are unemployed, with growth in the digital economy cushioning the crisis.
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Ghana: Youth unemployment is estimated at 12–14%, though underemployment remains widespread.
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Egypt: Stands at 24%, according to the ILO.
Globally, the International Labour Organization (ILO) places average youth unemployment at 13%, underscoring how Nigeria’s case is uniquely dire.
Experts Warn of “Demographic Time Bomb”
Analysts caution that without urgent reforms in education, governance, and industrial growth, Nigeria risks turning its youthful population often touted as its greatest asset into a destabilizing liability.
The report concludes that solving the crisis will require holistic reforms: aligning education with market needs, investing in large-scale job creation, restoring security, and tackling corruption at all levels.
The State of the Nigerian Youth Report 2025 was jointly developed by Plan International Nigeria and ActionAid Nigeria, with inputs from policy experts and advocacy groups.
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