More Than 80m Youths Without Jobs- PLAN, ActionAid Nig

More than 80 million Nigerian youths are without jobs.That’s according to the State of the Nigerian Youth Report 2025, released in Abuja by Plan International Nigeria and ActionAid Nigeria, which also found that youth unemployment has risen to 53%.

The report was unveiled during the Nigerian Youth Dialogue, organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Youth in Parliament to mark International Youth Day on September 11.

The report described the rising unemployment figure as “the single greatest threat” to Nigeria’s future.

Presenting the report, the Advocacy and Youth Programme Officer at Plan International Nigeria, Jonathan Abakpa said unemployment, insecurity, and weak governance are forcing young Nigerians into irregular migration, cybercrime, and other risky coping mechanisms.

“This is not just a statistic – it represents shattered dreams and wasted talent. Unless urgent action is taken, Nigeria risks losing its greatest asset,” he said.

“The study showed that about 1.7 million graduates leave universities each year, entering a shrinking job market. Official statistics indicated youth unemployment rose by 5.3% in the first quarter of 2024, with only slight improvement later in the year.

“Insecurity has worsened opportunities for young people, the report added. It noted that more than 600,000 people have been killed and 2.2 million kidnapped in recent years, many of them youths. Around 1,500 schools have been closed in two years, leaving one million children out of classrooms, while violence has displaced 2.6 million people and disrupted farming, threatening food security for 25 million Nigerians.”

“Poverty affects 40.1% of Nigerians, roughly 83 million people, while poor infrastructure, corruption, and digital exclusion further hinder youth development. The report also highlighted regional variations: unemployment and insecurity are highest in the North Central, banditry and kidnappings in the North East and North West, inflation and underemployment in the South West and South East, and lack of access to education in the South South.”

“Despite the challenges, Nigerian youths are resilient, particularly in technology and the creative sectors. The report recommended large-scale job creation, vocational training linked to industry, social protection for vulnerable groups, and stronger accountability in governance. It also called for Universal Basic Education to be enshrined in the constitution,” he said

Also speaking Country Director of Plan International Nigeria, Charles Nsue represented by Helen Idiong, said youths are agents of change who must be included at the centre of national development planning.

In his remarks Chairman of the House Committee on Youth in Parliament, Ayodeji Alao-Akala assured that the parliament will continue to push youth-focused legislation. “Our task as leaders is to make sure the children of tomorrow inherit a country better than what we met, with more opportunities and less hardship,” he said.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji