Nigeria’s youth unemployment rises to 6.5% – ILO’s

–As Informal Employment Dominates at 93%

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA —THE International Labour Organization, ILO, on Tuesday said despite recent improvements in the national unemployment rate which was 4.3 per cent, down from 5.4 per cent in 2023, Youth unemployment has risen to 6.5 per cent.

Director, ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Liaison Office for ECOWAS, Vanessa Phala, who revealed these statistics while speaking at the Multi-Stakeholder National Public Dialogue for Institutionalizing Technical Vocational Education and Training, TVET and apprenticeship systems for sustainable employment and employability in Nigeria.

ILO, in the demographic research also stated that the unemployment rate of men in the country stood at 5.4 percent while women was 7.8 percent.

Phala, represented by Mrs Chinyere Emeka-Anuna, Senior Programme Officer, ILO, said the inbalance in the world of work were as a result of overqualification, underqualification, and employment in unrelated fields.

She also said this necessitated a collaborative workshop with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to bridge some of the observed gaps.

According to Phala, the national dialogue is facilitated within the framework of Strengthening Employment and Employability Systems in Nigeria, SEESIN, project supported by GIZ-SKYE II Programme and comes at a crucial time.

She explained that it offers an opportunity to examine how the TVET and apprenticeship systems can better serve the needs of a dynamic labour market.

The ILO Director said, “SEESIN is contributing to improving Nigeria’s labour market by strengthening the effectiveness of national employment governance frameworks, addressing skills mismatches, expanding access to quality services, and creating inclusive opportunities for youth, women, and other marginalized groups to thrive in a changing world of work.

“This National Dialogue underscores the ILO’s unwavering commitment to advancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and apprenticeship systems as a driver of sustainable employment and inclusive growth. Guided by the ILO’s Quality Apprenticeships Recommendation, 2023 (No. 208).

“We are supporting Nigeria in building apprenticeship systems that are well-regulated, inclusive, and responsive to labour market needs.

“Through social dialogue and tripartite collaboration, we aim to enhance quality assurance, certification, gender equality and inclusion, and the recognition of informal apprenticeships, ensuring that all, especially young people, women, and persons with disabilities gain the skills, opportunities, and protection needed to access decent work and contribute meaningfully to national development.

“In setting the context for this Dialogue, Nigeria’s labour market continues to grapple with persistent skills mismatch, where job seekers hold qualifications that do not correspond to the requirements of employers.

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

“The country’s apprenticeship and vocational systems remain underdeveloped, contributing to shortages of technical skills in high-growth sectors while producing surpluses in low-demand fields.

“Despite recent improvements in the national unemployment rate which was 4.3 per cent, down from 5.4 per cent in 2023, Youth unemployment remained elevated at 6.5 per cent (men: 5.4 per cent, women: 7.8 per cent), informal employment dominates at 93 per cent, and women, youth, and persons with disabilities are disproportionately excluded from decent work.

“Institutionalizing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and apprenticeship, is a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future. By equipping youth with relevant skills, we strengthen employability and drive inclusive economic growth.

“This approach not only bridges the gap between education and industry but also reduces unemployment, and positions Nigeria to compete in a rapidly evolving global economy”.

Meanwhile, Director, Skills Development and Certification Department at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Engr. Tiza Chiila Shaakaa, noted that the renewed hope Agenda of the present Administration is expected to be anchored heavily on a workforce that is required to be competent, innovative, and adaptive.

He reiterated that data from national labour surveys reveal that many of our youths remain unemployed or underemployed, not because of lack of ambition, but due to a mismatch between their skills and labour market demands.

He said: “Institutionalizing TVET and apprenticeship systems will therefore bridge the identified skills mismatch notice in the workforce. The success of this programme lies in partnership.”

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