The youth population is critical for achieving sustainable economic growth and development in every nation. The Nigerian youth population is one of the largest in the world. Nigeria must harness the enormous potential of its youth population to boost economic activities and development by investing massively in their education and engaging them in productive ventures.
The Nigerian government needs to provide an enabling environment and involve the youths in policy formulation and implementation for our country to move forward. The youth population plays a crucial role in achieving a high economic growth rate. Involving the youth in the process of policy-making can impact the prosperity of the economy.
In Nigeria, the youth includes citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria aged 18-35 years, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The African youth charter also recognises the youth as people between ages 15 and 35. The population of the Nigerian youth is estimated at 40 million in 2021 by the United Nations Population Fund.
The Nigerian youths have enormous strength to work in the various sectors of the economy. The youths can tirelessly engage in strenuous jobs in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors towards high economic growth and development.
The youths are more ambitious to learn in formal and informal education settings. They strive for digital information relevant to enhancing the Nigerian economy.
The Nigerian youths need various supports in entrepreneurial endeavours. The majority of the youths are limited in different ways ranging from lack of capital, government support, decay infrastructure, corruption, inequality, and insecurity.
Likewise, the youth population has more crime exposure. The youths are easily influenced and used by some well-to-do individuals because of poverty and inequality in Nigeria. The Nigerian youths are also enticed by the affluent lifestyle of the political class and get involved in criminal acts to meet their needs.
The Nigerian government needs to prioritise the youth by formulating and implementing viable education policies because education is critical for human capital development. Many Nigerian youths are illiterates. The government needs to make education affordable and available to the youths to eliminate youth illiteracy and crime.
Read also: African Guarantee Fund empowers 80 Nigerian Youth Entrepreneurs
The government must provide adequate funding to the education sector to avoid incessant strikes. Strikes can reduce the value of education and impact the Nigerian economy.
The Nigerian government must provide the necessary modern facilities for learning in higher institutions to make learning more attractive. The economy needs more roads, electricity, skill acquisition centres, and an excellent health care system for youth capacity building towards economic growth and development.
The government must rise to confront outcome and opportunity inequalities challenging the youths. The majority of Nigerian graduates do not have the opportunity to work in government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. The federal government needs to restructure the economy to create opportunities for the youths in the MDAs.
The government must put up a formidable fight against insecurity in Nigeria to attract investment. Investors seek good locations with no or minimum insecurity challenges for investment purposes. A high level of real investment in Nigeria will help reduce youth unemployment, thereby increasing employment, income, and standard of living.
The government must formulate viable policies to fight corruption in the country. The high level of corruption among government office holders is alarming and negatively influencing Nigerian youths. The impunity enjoyed by the political office holders must be removed so that culprits are tried in courts and charged immediately to deter others and encourage the youths in well-doing.
The Nigerian youths need a voice in politics. The youth population requires representation in the federal and state cabinets, National Assembly, state Houses of Assembly, and local government authorities. The involvement of the youths in government at all levels can enhance good governance in the country.
The Nigerian government must realise that the youths are critical to the growth and development of the country. The government needs to make viable socio-economic policies that focus on the youth population to promote growth and development. The government must rise to face the challenges confronting the youth, thereby positioning Nigeria on the path of prosperity.
Felix Ashakah is an economics lecturer at Western Delta University, Oghara
