Nigeria with a population of 200 million people with about 60 percent of her population being under 35 has a youth unemployment/underemployment rate of almost 75 percent. Young Nigerians see the informal sector as an avenue to develop skills and jobs that are hard to come by especially with the dwindling public education system that is not preparing the youth for the jobs of the future and graduates who do not have the required competence to compete for jobs globally.

The Nigeria Youth Employment Action was developed by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYSD), as a strategy to respond effectively to the youth employment challenge in Nigeria. The major objectives of the plan are to address fragmentation and harness technical and financial resources for meaningful impact. The plan targets young people between the ages of 18-35 years and details needed actions in support of employment creation for youth in critical economic and social sectors and outlines the financing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation frameworks.

OBJECTIVES

  • Create awareness on Action Plan through nation-wide sensitization campaigns
  • Improve communication with youth to ensure that they are well informed of existing opportunities
  • To capture the voices of young people and their aspirations with regards to work
  • To highlight immediate, mid-term and long-term priorities for young people

GOALS/ RESULTS

  • Young people are aware of the Nigerian Youth Employment Action Plan developed to improve their access to decent jobs.
  • Young people are empowered with key information to improve their access to opportunities and to inspire a change in perception and aspiration regarding job choices.
  • A data site for young people who are employed or unemployed with resources for personal and career development.

IMPACT
Young people take action by developing the right attitudes and perceptions regarding job choices, by accessing relevant opportunities and holding the government accountable for their rights to decent jobs.
Create a monitoring and project evaluation framework that directly addresses decent work for youth in Nigeria.