'Nigeria needs to intensify job creation'

As the number of unemployed graduates in Nigeria continues to increase, a leading recruitment agency in the country has called on the government to intensify training and job creation for graduates.

A recent survey carried out by the agency, jobberman.com, indicates that nearly half of those with higher educational qualification are unemployed.

According to the agency, a total of 41,032 (45.72 percent) of the 89,755 people who responded to the survey said they were unemployed graduates.

The survey has generated an urgent action for both the private and public sector operators in the country.

It also reveals that there is a cause for worry considering the number of unemployed graduates.

The results demonstrated the “need for urgent action on both public and private sector operators,” calling the number of unemployed graduates a “cause for worry”.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with over 170 million people is also the continent’s leading economy and number one oil producer.

However, the economy of the country has been hit hard by the recent fall in oil prices since mid 2014. This has gradually weakened the country’s currency, naira.

Unemployment is a major challenge for the nation with official rate pegged at 9.9 percent.

45 Percent Of Nigerian Graduates Unemployed: Survey https://t.co/7RGXMXJO7n by saharareporters #Nigeria pic.twitter.com/eI55JOSyma

— Oximity Poverty News (OximityPoverty) 27 Janvier 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari at the beginning of his tenure last year promised to kick-start the economy by fighting poverty and unemployment which he sees as major issues.

Buhari added that his administration would improve ongoing programmes by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, the Bank of Industry, the Bank of Agriculture and other federal agencies to grant Nigerian youths start-up loans at concessionary rates.

“One of the ways we can achieve this is through the reorientation of our youths towards an entrepreneurial mindset. We must therefore promote and enhance the teaching and learning of entrepreneurial skills in all schools and tertiary institutions.”

According to the International Labour Organisation, (ILO), Sub-Saharan Africa has the fastest population growth projected between now and 2050 and the highest youth population in the world.

It is then very crucial that the government factors this figure into their national and social development planning.

Most African countries are currently faced with the problem of unemployment.

South Africa and Tunisia recently staged country wide demonstrations as a result of unemployment in their countries.