Youth unemployment hits 6.5%, women worse hit

Raises concern over skills mismatch, informal labour

From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja

Despite a slight improvement in Nigeria’s overall unemployment rate, youth unemployment remains a major concern, currently pegged at 6.5 per cent, with women more affected at 7.8 per cent, compared to 5.4 per cent for their male counterparts.

This was disclosed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in a recent demographic study.

The study also revealed that a staggering 93 per cent of the workforce operates in the informal sector, with women, youths, and persons with disabilities significantly excluded from decent work opportunities.

The findings were made public on Tuesday by the ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and ECOWAS Liaison Office, Vanessa Phala, during the National Public Dialogue on Institutionalising TVET and Apprenticeship Systems for Sustainable Employment and Employability in Nigeria, held in Abuja.

Phala, represented by Mrs Chinyere Emeka-Anuna, ILO Senior Programme Officer, said the report paints a troubling picture of Nigeria’s labour market, where job seekers are armed with certificates but lack practical, industry-relevant skills.

“Many graduates possess theoretical knowledge but lack practical industry-related competencies, resulting in overqualification, underqualification, and employment in unrelated fields,” she stated.

She said the national dialogue, held in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE), was organised under the Strengthening Employment and Employability Systems in Nigeria (SEESIN) project, supported by the GIZ-SKYE II Programme.

Phala noted that Nigeria’s apprenticeship and vocational training systems remain underdeveloped, contributing to a surplus of skills in low-demand areas and shortages in high-growth sectors.

She emphasised the importance of institutionalising Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and apprenticeship systems as a strategic move to equip Nigeria’s youth with job-ready skills.

“Despite recent improvements in the national unemployment rate which dropped to 4.3 per cent from 5.4 per cent in 2023, youth unemployment remains elevated. Informal employment dominates, and marginalised groups continue to face exclusion from decent jobs.

“Through social dialogue and tripartite collaboration, we aim to enhance quality assurance, certification, gender equality, and the recognition of informal apprenticeships,” Phala stressed.

Also speaking, the Director, Skills Development and Certification Department, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Engr. Tiza Shaakaa, described the move as key to the current administration’s Renewed Hope agenda.

Shaakaa lamented that despite their ambition, many Nigerian youths remain unemployed due to a mismatch between their qualifications and industry needs.

“The need to skill, reskill, upskill and cross-skill our workforce has become inevitable. The success of this programme lies in partnership. We must move beyond policy to collective action involving all stakeholders, MDAs, industries, academia, trade unions, and development partners,” he said.

The dialogue provided a platform for key actors in Nigeria’s labour ecosystem to deliberate on bridging the country’s persistent skills gap and strengthening employment frameworks that are inclusive and responsive to the demands of the 21st-century workplace.