Nigeria’s plan to equip young people with technical and vocational skills will help the country to curb its rising youth unemployment rate and stimulate economic growth, according to experts.
Equipping young Nigerians with in-demand skills will not only reduce joblessness but also create a skilled workforce capable of driving innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable national development, experts added.
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Nubi Achebo, director of academic planning at Nigerian University of Technology and Management (NUTM), said the TVET initiative would curb youth unemployment by equipping them with industry-relevant skills.
Achebo explained that the initiative with key features such as standardised skills certification, free tuition, and monthly stipends, among others, will curb unemployment if adequately implemented.
“Through NABTEB and sectoral awarding bodies, ensuring industry-recognised skills at public technical schools, making education more accessible, and a monthly stipend of N22,500 for trainees, the scheme is bound to positively change Nigeria’s unemployment narratives,” he said.
Jessica Osuere, chief executive officer at RubbiesHub Educational Services, said the initiative can curb youth unemployment but must be done correctly.
“Evidence from countries such as Singapore, Rwanda, and South Korea has proven that robust TVET systems can power industrial growth, reduce unemployment and create a skilled middle-class as they equip individuals with practical skills, technical know-how, and entrepreneurship abilities to meet the needs of the labour market.
“In essence, it trains people to be job-ready or job-creators, especially in fields such as construction, ICT, agriculture, manufacturing, hospitality, creative arts, and more,” she said.
Osuere said to make the initiative work in Nigeria, the curriculum must align with current and future market needs, and the private sector must be fully involved in the areas of curriculum design, internship, and certification.
The Federal Government proposed a tuition-free TVET drive to address youth unemployment, which is to be launched in September.
The youth unemployment rate in Nigeria is a serious issue. In the third quarter (Q3) of 2023, the rate for young people aged 15 to 24 was 8.6%, an increase from 7.2%in the previous quarter.
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According to the Nigerian Economic Summit Group report, the unemployment rate was higher amongst the cohorts with post-secondary education at 9.0%, relative to persons with secondary at 6.9%, and primary education at 4.0%.
This, they say, implies a negative correlation between human capital development and unemployment due to a possible mismatch between labour market entrants and the industry labour requirements.
A World Bank report indicates Nigeria’s poverty rate in 2023 was estimated to have reached 38.9%, with 87 million Nigerians living below the poverty line, the world’s second-largest poor country after India.
