Youth unemployment in Nigeria has surged to 53%, posing a major threat to Africa’s most populous nation, according to a new study released on Thursday.
The State of the Nigerian Youth Report 2025, jointly published by Plan International Nigeria and ActionAid Nigeria, was unveiled in Abuja during a youth dialogue organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Youth to mark International Youth Day.
Presenting the findings, Jonathan Abakpa of Plan International said millions of young Nigerians are grappling with shrinking job opportunities, rising insecurity, and weak governance — factors pushing many into irregular migration, cybercrime, and other risky survival strategies.
“This is not just a statistic — it represents shattered dreams and wasted talent. Unless urgent action is taken, Nigeria risks losing its greatest asset,” the report warned.
According to the report, about 1.7 million graduates leave universities each year, but most struggle to secure employment. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics revealed youth unemployment rose by 5.3% in the first quarter of 2024, with only a marginal improvement recorded in the second quarter.
Beyond joblessness, insecurity has deepened the crisis. The report estimates that more than 600,000 people have been killed and 2.2 million kidnapped in recent years, with young people among the worst affected. It noted that around 1,500 schools have closed in the past two years, leaving one million children out of classrooms. Violence has also crippled agriculture, displacing 2.6 million people and threatening food security for 25 million Nigerians, according to UNICEF figures cited in the report.
Poverty remains widespread, with 82.9 million Nigerians — about 40.1% of the population — living below the poverty line. Poor infrastructure, corruption, and digital exclusion continue to limit opportunities for young people, it added.
A nationwide “We Listen Survey” revealed regional differences in challenges: unemployment and insecurity dominate the North Central; banditry and kidnapping plague the North East and North West; inflation and underemployment weigh heavily on the South West and South East; while lack of access to education is particularly acute in the South South.
Despite the grim outlook, the report highlighted the resilience of Nigerian youths, especially in technology and the creative industries. It called for urgent large-scale job creation, industry-linked vocational training, social protection for vulnerable groups, and stronger governance and accountability. The report also urged the government to enshrine Universal Basic Education as a constitutional right.
Chairman of the House Committee on Youth, Ayodeji Alao-Akala, pledged continued parliamentary support for youth-focused policies.
“Our task as leaders is to ensure the children of tomorrow inherit a country better than what we met, with more opportunities and less hardship,” he said.
Alao-Akala added that the committee would collaborate with stakeholders to strengthen youth development programmes that prepare young Nigerians for leadership, innovation, and economic productivity.
