Salvation at last!

By Haneefah Adamu

Nigeria, the giant of Africa, gifted with natural resources, from the cocoa of the East to the crude oil of the South and the peanuts of the North, with a population of over a hundred and fifty million, seventy percent of which constitute a possible manpower which can drive the nation to even greater heights. However, according to UNDP, Nigeria ranks 156 globally in terms of unemployment despite the rising figures of literacy in the country.

Unemployment is second only to poverty among Nigeria’s socio-economic ills. Most of the victims of unemployment are graduates of tertiary institutions.

Generally, quality education has a direct bearing on national prestige, greatness and cohesion. The knowledge and skills acquired help determine the degree of patriotism and contribution to national development, but recent statements credited to Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala saying, “Nigerian graduates are unemployable” comes in a bad taste.

Every year, over 300,000 youth graduate from Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, and, as the number grows annually, more people will join the unemployment line. According to Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics, “Nigeria’s unemployment rate is spiraling upwards, growing at 16 percent per year. The youth of the nation are the most impacted, with a youth unemployment rate over 50 percent.”

As a graduating senior, one who is about to join the labor force of a country with an alarming rate of unemployment, it only makes me ponder more, and ask myself, ‘is this where hope ends?’ ‘Is there no light at the end of the tunnel?’ Recently, Nigeria has been listed among the "Next Eleven" economies and as the world's 39th largest economy; Nigeria is poised for greater prosperity. However, I do not see a role cut out for the youth in helping Nigeria reach such goals and realize even bigger dreams.

Following a great deal of cries, complaints and dissatisfaction by the masses over unfulfilled promises of poverty alleviation and job creations made by past governments, then came salvation. In an interview, the Education Minister, Professor Rukkaya Rufa’I said, she would make graduates of tertiary institutions self-reliant and self-employed. An evidence of this statement is the collaboration among the Ministries of Education, Finance, Youth and Development, and Women affairs and Social Development. This alliance has led to the creation of ‘The Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria’ (YOU WIN) program and vocational workshops in tertiary institutions all over the country.

YOU WIN is designed to generate jobs by encouraging and supporting aspiring entrepreneurial youth in Nigeria. The initiative will attract ideas and innovations from young entrepreneurial applicants from all post-Secondary institutions in Nigeria. Generally, it provides a one-time equity grant of one to ten million naira to 1,200 people aspiring to start or expand their businesses.

The vocational workshops in the tertiary institutions help students sharpen and acquire skills.

Often we criticize our government for not doing enough, now they have done well. Kudos!