Stakeholders Raise Alarm Over Skilled Youth Exclusion from Labor Market
Stakeholders have voiced renewed concerns regarding the increasing exclusion of skilled Nigerian youths from the formal labor market, attributing this troubling trend to weak policy implementation, limited awareness, and deep-seated systemic barriers. These concerns were prominently expressed during the premiere of a documentary titled Employment Advocacy for Rural Youth, produced by the Teach the Child Initiative, which took place in Abuja.
Documentary Highlights Rural Youth Struggles
The documentary, supported by the African Union–European Union Youth Action Lab, presented compelling voices from rural communities, capturing the experiences of young people who expressed willingness to work but lamented a severe lack of access to opportunities. The stakeholders emphasized a significant disconnect between existing government policies and the harsh realities of employment in Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, Chief Executive Officer of Teach the Child Initiative, Pearl Utuk, revealed that a substantial number of young Nigerians who possess practical skills acquired through apprenticeship and informal learning remain trapped in underemployment or informal work. According to Utuk, this situation reflects a structural failure rather than a shortage of talent.
Findings from Federal Capital Territory Engagements
Utuk cited findings from engagements conducted across the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where many youths attributed their unemployment to lack of access to opportunities, nepotism, and poor information flow. “What we found is not laziness or lack of ambition. What we found is ambition meeting a wall,” Utuk stated emphatically.
She disclosed that some beneficiaries of government skills programs are unable to participate due to basic challenges such as transportation costs, while others are excluded due to a lack of connections. Utuk drew attention to the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), a federal policy designed to recognize and certify skills acquired outside formal education, noting that the framework remains largely unknown to both employers and job seekers.
Policy Implementation Gap
“The problem is not that the policy does not exist. The problem is that it exists in a document that nobody has read,” Utuk explained. She detailed that the NSQF policy allows individuals with demonstrable skills to receive formal certification equivalent to conventional academic qualifications, thereby improving their chances of securing jobs or contracts. However, she noted that despite this potential, many employers are unaware of the framework, severely limiting its impact on employment outcomes.
In some communities, respondents reported never encountering government employment opportunities, while others pointed to exclusion driven by favoritism rather than merit. Utuk highlighted that the initiative facilitated dialogues between community members, government agencies, and private sector actors, leading to commitments such as the proposed establishment of a vocational training center in a previously underserved community.
Calls for Systemic Change
Utuk urged businesses to rethink recruitment practices and recognize skills beyond formal certificates, while calling on government actors to ensure that existing frameworks like the NSQF are effectively implemented and accessible. Acting Chief Executive Officer of Connected Development (CODE), Hyeladzira Mshelia James, emphasized the importance of citizen awareness in strengthening accountability and governance.
James noted that many Nigerians are unaware of policies and programs meant to benefit them, thereby weakening their ability to demand transparency and effective service delivery. According to her, low awareness levels undermine democratic participation and limit citizens’ capacity to hold institutions accountable.
Role of Education and Accountability
James highlighted CODE’s Follow the Money initiative, which tracks public spending and supports communities in monitoring projects and engaging government officials. She stressed that education remains critical to national development, warning that a lack of opportunities for educated youths could have wider social implications. James added that inclusive systems that recognize skills and expand access to opportunities are essential to harnessing Nigeria’s youthful population for sustainable growth.
