‘Skills Mismatch Fuelling Youth Unemployment’

A lecturer at the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Dr Victoria Ahonya Obera, has identified the mismatch between educational training and labour market requirements as a major factor fuelling youth unemployment in Nigeria.

Obera, who called for increased investment in human capital development and skills acquisition, said the country must strengthen vocational and technical education, entrepreneurship and digital skills to equip young people for employment and self-reliance.

She made the call in a paper titled, “The Role of Human Capital Development and Skills Acquisition in Promoting Job Creation Among Nigerian Youths,” at the monthly general meeting of the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM), Lokoja-Ajaokuta.

According to her, despite several government youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, vocational training and skills acquisition programmes, many young Nigerians, particularly graduates, continue to struggle to secure meaningful employment due to a disconnect between what they learn in school and the skills employers require.

She said human capital development goes beyond formal education, stressing that it encompasses knowledge, skills, competencies, health, continuous learning, vocational training, research, innovation and technological capacity.

Obera noted that relevant education and practical skills would enhance productivity and employability, while enabling youths to become job creators rather than depend solely on the limited wage-employment opportunities available.

She identified vocational and technical training, entrepreneurship, digital literacy, apprenticeships and professional development as critical components of skills acquisition that could improve the employment prospects of Nigerian youths.

The lecturer, however, said the effectiveness of existing interventions had been undermined by inadequate funding, weak implementation, poor coordination and insufficient monitoring and evaluation.

She urged the government to deliberately link educational institutions with industry and ensure that curricula were regularly reviewed to reflect the changing needs of the economy and workplace.

Obera also stressed that strategic investment in education, technical training, technology and human capacity development remained critical to economic growth, productivity and national development.

She cited interventions by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), particularly its Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, as initiatives aimed at addressing youth unemployment.

She, however, called for stronger implementation, coordination and monitoring of such programmes to achieve greater impact.

The paper described youth unemployment as a major economic and developmental challenge with serious social, economic, political and psychological consequences, warning that failure to address it could undermine Nigeria’s development prospects.

To reverse the trend, Obera recommended increased budgetary allocations to education, vocational training and human capital development, as well as regular curriculum reviews to align learning with labour market demands and emerging technologies.

She further urged the government to equip vocational and technical institutions with modern facilities and qualified instructors, while placing greater emphasis on digital skills, innovation and emerging technologies.

She also advocated stronger partnerships between educational institutions and industries to facilitate internships, apprenticeships and smoother transitions from school to the workplace.

Obera concluded that sustainable job creation for Nigerian youths required a shift from an education system focused mainly on certification to one that produces young people with relevant, practical and adaptable skills capable of meeting the needs of the economy.