Opinion
Still On Youth Unemployment In Nigeria (II)
Another important cause of unemployment in Ni
geria is the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the Nigerian educational system to produce graduate possessing all- round abilities. Majority of graduates in Nigeria have not developed their own skill. All they have are the certificates – nothing more. In plain language, most of these graduates are half-baked and ill-prepared for the challenges facing the nation. They have nothing substantial to add only to maintain the status quo. Educational institutions have failed alarmingly to produce graduates that are designed to meet the needs (not just vacancies in terms of job opportunities) of the Nigerian economy. Most of them never desire to be independent or self-employed or at least create an item of value. Their dreams are mostly about getting juicy jobs with Shell, Total etc. Dearth of skill acquisition and ultilisation in the present crop of graduates is perhaps occasioned by a deficient curriculum. This has sometimes resulted in companies reserving vacancies for Nigerians with overseas qualifications.
Sometimes, the absence of sufficient information creates the status of being unemployed for some Nigerians. Admittedly, this would not always be so in the face of the numerous applications received in almost all advertised vacancies. Recession in the economy is another cause of unemployment. Recession leads to many companies winding up, restructuring, streamlining and consequently, disengaging workers.
The high rate of unemployment in Nigeria has negative social and economic implications on so many aspects of the life of an average Nigerian. First and foremost is the fact that unemployment leads to unnecessary waste of resources and less productivity. Brain drain and loss of purchasing power are also important effects of the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria. The Nigerian economy is losing some of the best brains available to other countries. Graduates with good and outstanding skills, after walking the streets looking for jobs, take on the journey for greener pastures abroad. Many of our youths now take to riding commercial motorcycles while others make do with street hawking to keep body and soul together. The economic cost of unemployment are not limited to the above. Unemployment leads to a gap between the actual Gross National Product (GNP) and the potential Gross National Product. This is known as the GNP gap – indicating a vast waste of resources and an inability to maximize the utility of both human and natural resources.
The social costs of unemployment in Nigeria include increased cyclical poverty. Personal hardships, decay of unused skills, depression, increase in self – desertification leading to an increase in crime rate as well as increase in the number of broken marriage.
A sad development occasioned by the rate of unemployment in Nigeria is the now common swindling of these poor job seekers. Private firms purporting to help these poor job seekers to secure employment collect different sums of money from these applicants (such as application fee, registration fee, blue chip fee, amongst others). Most of these firms are only concerned about the money; at the end of the whole exercise, most of the applicants are still without a job. Even the public sector is not absolved from this ‘profitable’ venture. The not-too-long—ago recruitment exercise by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reportedly raked in about 750million Naira for the Agency. The NDLEA recruitment was fraught with incomplete information (for instance, there was no information on the requirement of presentation of NYSC discharge certificate as a condition precedent to sitting for the test), which led to a waste of resources by a large percentage of these job seekers. The National Social Insurance Trust Fund is also recruiting, collecting at least a thousand Naira (1,000.00) from each applicant.
The way forward for Nigeria to successfully tackle the high rate of unemployment rests first on the shoulders of our leaders. Nigerian leaders must show more than enough commitment to the creation of jobs and most especially the creation and sustenance of an economic environment that fosters self-development and self actualization. Nigerian leaders must revisit the resuscitation of the manufacturing sector and ensure that it is exhumed from the grave where it currently lies. A total solution to the problem of erratic power supply would be of utmost importance in this regard.
The faster government moves in that direction, the better as we have seen the concomitant effect of youth unemployment manifest itself in various forms across the country. Kidnapping, armed robbery and even militancy in the Niger Delta and to some extent, the Boko Haram menace could be identified as some of the negative outcome of unemployment.
The utilized potentials in the agricultural sector must be made use of to create the desired job opportunities for the teeming unemployed Nigerians. The educational system also needs restructuring. The various curricula in our schools should include skill acquisition course, entrepreneurship and self development programmes, deliberate efforts need to be made towards ensuring that a new enterprise culture is entrenched in the minds of our graduates and artisans alike. This will reduce the present craze for white collar jobs and reduce unemployment in Nigeria. It is then that Nigeria will be on the road to economic success.
Masi is of the Linguistics and Communications Department of the University of Port Hrcourt, Choba.
Mabel Masi
Opinion
Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Opinion
Checking Herdsmen Rampage
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
Opinion
Is Nigeria Democratic Nation?
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
-
Business2 days ago
Replace Nipa Palms With Mangroove In Ogoni, Group Urges FG, HYPREP
-
News2 days ago
Demonstrate Commitment In Improving Host Communities, Ibas Tells Corps Members
-
Politics2 days ago
Tinubu’s Contribution To Buhari’s Presidency Marginal – Ex-SGF
-
Opinion2 days ago
How Reliable Is AI
-
News2 days ago
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others
-
Politics2 days ago
Keyamo Inaugurates Ganduje As FAAN Board Chair
-
Rivers2 days ago
HOS Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP … As Project Sensitization Team Visit Degema, AKULGA
-
Politics2 days ago
Reps Constitution Review Committee Holds Zonal Hearing For Rivers, C’River, Akwa Ibom In Calabar