Unemployment is the economic situation where an individual who is jobless but qualified for a job and has been actively looking for employment is unable to find a job. It’s one of the factors usually considered to indicate the economic status of the nation.
The unemployment rate is the measure used to express the extent of the condition. The high rate of unemployment result in economic and social crises in every society which is civilised, rate of unemployment in Nigeria is alarming.
Some states in Nigeria are not left out like Imo, Adamawa and Cross River recorded that over 50 per cent unemployment rate, a shocking indictment on their political leadership.
Imo State had the highest percentage of unemployment in Nigeria in the fourth quarter of 2021 with over 56.64 per cent according to the National Bureau of Statistics report while Adamawa State has over 64.89 per cent unemployment rate. Cross River State had an unemployment rate of 53.65 per cent with a total unemployment number of 798,203 and under employment rate of 17, 01 per cent.
Causes of unemployment in Nigeria:
Poor management of the economic: The misuse of the country resources has led to crippling economic condition across the country. The nation’s wealth translates to the people’s wealth because a wealthy nation where resources abound will have the citizens that can fend for themselves and create jobs for others.
Poor investment climate: The failure of government to create an enabling environment for sustainable growth hinders the creation of job opportunities by the private sector and others.
Wrong approach to employment creation: Unstable government policies contribute immensely to the unemployment crises in Nigeria.
Poor infrastructure: Poor infrastructural development impedes business growth. When private sector does not grow maximally, they cannot provide more jobs.
Solutions to unemployment in Nigeria
Better education: It is crucial to improve education level of people so that it will be easier for those willing to find jobs. This education should start early in schools and teachers should pay close attention and take care of every child to ensure good education progress
Motivational programmes: Jobless people who are not willing to work at all have to be incentivised to get jobs. This means that their social security level may be lowered if they do not take actions to go back to work. It could also mean that these people are forced into programmes in which they get taught about the advantage of getting out of employment so they have a broader perspective on the chance of unemployment and might be more willing to search for jobs.
Fight for discrimination: We should also try to fight all sort of discrimination in the society. This also includes gender inequality. ln countries where women are still repressed and not seen as equal important as men, government and other concerned institutions should speak up and show the public that women are as important as men.
Create jobs: An intuitive measure to fight unemployment is to create jobs. Jobs can be created in several different ways. The creation of jobs often involves raising the incentive for companies to employ people and open branches in weak economic region. This can often be accomplished by giving firms financial, incentive like tax advantage other incentive to offer jobs for the local governments and etc.
- Istifanus Bulus Gladys writes from Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State.
