Nigeria is facing an unprecedented youth crisis, with nearly 80 million young people unemployed—representing more than half of the nation’s youth population.
This stark revelation is contained in the State of the Nigerian Youth Report 2025, unveiled on Monday in Abuja by Jonathan Abakpa, Advocacy and Youth Programme Officer at Plan International Nigeria, during the Nigerian Youth Dialogue to mark International Youth Day. The event was hosted by the House of Representatives Committee on Youth in Parliament.
The report highlights the growing gap between education and opportunity. Each year, an estimated 1.7 million graduates complete tertiary education, yet the job market remains stagnant, leaving many stranded in uncertainty.
“This is not just a statistic—it represents shattered dreams and wasted talent,” Abakpa warned, stressing that desperation is pushing many young Nigerians towards irregular migration, cybercrime, and other high-risk survival strategies.
The report also underscored the devastating impact of insecurity on Nigeria’s youth. It estimates that more than 600,000 people have been killed and 2.2 million kidnapped in recent years, with young people disproportionately affected.
Beyond the violence itself, insecurity has crippled education. Over 1,500 schools have been forced to close in the past two years, leaving one million children out of classrooms. “Education, which should be a ladder of opportunity, has been violently pulled away from them,” the report noted.
Agriculture, the backbone of many rural communities, has also suffered. Tribal conflicts and insurgent attacks have claimed more than 77,000 lives in five years and displaced 2.6 million people—mostly farmers. With fields abandoned, UNICEF has warned that 25 million Nigerians now face acute hunger.
The findings paint a bleak socioeconomic picture: 40.1 per cent of the population, or roughly 82.9 million people, are living in poverty. For young Nigerians, poverty means not just financial hardship but limited choices and stunted futures.
The report also spotlighted corruption as a major obstacle to progress, arguing that funds meant for development are diverted, further widening inequality and eroding public trust.
Responding to the findings, Chairman of the House Committee on Youth in Parliament, Hon. Ayodeji Alao-Akala, acknowledged the gravity of the crisis and pledged that parliament would continue to push youth-centered legislation.
He described Nigerian youths as “the future of the nation,” adding that the National Assembly had dedicated significant attention to passing bills and motions designed to create opportunities for young people.
Nigeria’s youth unemployment crisis is among the worst in Africa, both in absolute numbers and proportion.
Globally, the ILO estimates that the average youth unemployment rate is 13 per cent, highlighting just how severe Nigeria’s situation has become. With nearly 80 million young people jobless, Nigeria is not just facing a labour-market challenge but a potential demographic time bomb.
Experts warn that without immediate reforms in education, job creation, and governance, the country’s large youth population—often described as its greatest asset—could become its greatest liability.
The State of the Nigerian Youth Report 2025 was developed by Plan International Nigeria in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria, with contributions from policy analysts and advocacy experts.