The solution to the challenges of unemployment in Nigeria

By Akinola A. Afolabi(M.Sc)

          Unemployment in Nigeria is a big problem. There will never be a complete eradication of unemployment in Nigeria if we do not set up a system that controls our population. Population growth is a major factor that contributed to the challenges of unemployment in this country. According to world bank’s development indicators as described by Daniel Graumann in one of his articles on Linkedin wrote that the population of Nigeria has grown by 330% from 1960(year of independence of Nigeria). The first way to address the problem of unemployment in Nigeria is by population control. I read somewhere a while back that China has adopted a policy in which a family in China is bound under the law not to born more than one child. We can also adopt this type of population control in Nigeria. The second challenge of unemployment in Nigeria is that we don’t have an effective data record system. Nigeria, unlike most developed countries, does not have effective data record system. We need to set up our country in such a way that we can have an updated record every second for every citizen of this country. 

       We need to set up a system whereby our hospitals can record every childbirth into our nation’s data records system. Our data records system needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Another challenge of unemployment in this country is the state of poor infrastructures and lack of updated educational syllabus in our schools. As our schools still use the syllabus of the 1980s to teach our students. The solution to this challenge is to equip our schools (primary, secondary and tertiary institutions) with updated infrastructures and syllabus. We need to equip our schools with resources that will equip our students to build themselves to the global standard. The lecturers in our tertiary institutions have to be given consistent training internationally in their respective fields and the government should sign a contract with them so that they won’t leave when they have been trained by the government. A contract that indicates the number of years you must use as a lecturer in your school after you might have been giving international training by the government. The challenges of unemployment in this country is not only on the government. We need to also put blame on society. What is society’s role? Our society needs to encourage creativity and innovation. Parents need to recognize the gifts and talents in their children and build them for the future along with that gifts and talents. Parents should not enforce careers on their wards. Parents need to know how the gifts of their children can be monetized and used to solve global problems. We need to adopt global thinking and perspective in this situation. We need to incorporate a problem-solving mindset into our wards from when they are young.

    “You don’t talk of passion before making a living.” Dan Lok

         Government empowerment schemes like N-power has helped to reduce the challenges of unemployment because I can argue that there is a reduced crime rate because of this government empowerment schemes. These empowerment schemes cannot give a long term solution. Professor Ndubusi Ekekwe wrote in one of his articles in which I agree that we should see schooling and education as a privilege and once we have the privilege we should offer the knowledge back to the society by building younger generations. A great educational system that empowers the youths to think independently and become problem solvers is one of the key solutions to this problem. Government intervention in addressing the problem of unemployment in this country cannot be overemphasized because it is the government that can create favorable policies and laws that will attract investors and venture capitalist to create more industries that can employ the greater percentage of our youths. The government should also set up tax-free policies for major companies so that they can absorb a larger number of graduates.

      The national youth service corps (NYSC) which has been in existent since the 1970s has outgrown its relevance of national integration. If you are a graduate currently serving under this scheme. You can save up money from your monthly allowance to be able to plan for tomorrow because, at the end of everything, we are responsible for what we become in life. I wasn’t able to save well during my time. Our government is really doing well by being consistent with the payments of allowance to corps members. Do not let us forget that the economic stability of a country is important to attract investors and capitalist.

                 “Money runs away from an unstable society”. Goodluck Jonathan

Our government needs to work on a stable society and economy. We cannot leave out corruption as a major problem in this country. Our country needs to build a system that inhibits corruption. I have always given credit to the Ibo’s( a major tribe in eastern Nigeria) apprenticeship system that equips their children and youths to become businessmen and entrepreneurs. We can also incorporate Ibo’s system in our children instead of training our youths on formal education only. I read one article encouraging us to take up something else outside our area of expertise. Unleash your other areas of interest or talents and then commercialize or monetize.

About the author

Akinola A. Afolabi (M.Sc), Sales Engineer, Writer, Project manager, Public speaker, and Nation Builder. I write regularly on LinkedIn, Facebook, and What Sapp. I offer advisory services, content writing, and coaching services on business, sales, engineering, automobiles, technology, leadership, finance, entrepreneurship & management for individuals, startups, schools, colleges, religious organizations, universities, and companies. You can reach me on [email protected] or +2348160058336 for your automobiles repairs, sales & consulting.