73% of Nigerian youths consider ‘Japa’ as unemployment, poor opportunities bite – report

No fewer than 73 percent of young Nigerians are considering leaving the country, with unemployment, limited economic opportunities and poor access to capital emerging as major factors driving the growing interest in migration, according to the Nigerian Youth Pulse Survey.

The survey, presented at the Youth Pulse Dialogue organised by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and its Youth Advisory Committee (YAC), Abuja, to mark International Youth Day, found that young Nigerians are primarily seeking better opportunities to work, acquire relevant skills and build sustainable livelihoods.

The findings showed that 60.9 percent of young Nigerians seeking stable incomes identified lack of capital and access to finance as their biggest barrier, while 49.1 percent cited inadequate job opportunities.

Skills gaps accounted for 42.7 percent of responses, while 37.3 percent identified a poor business environment, including high interest rates and weak credit systems, as a major constraint.

The survey, which gathered the views of more than 100 young Nigerians, also found that the decision to migrate is not necessarily permanent, as 85.5 percent of respondents said they would prefer to remain in Nigeria if better economic opportunities were available.

Speaking at the event, Bengt van Loosdrecht, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Nigeria, said the findings showed that young Nigerians were not simply looking for opportunities abroad but were seeking the conditions required to build meaningful lives at home.

“Young people want opportunities, not only in the West, but definitely in Nigeria.

“They want useful skills, not skills that they cannot use in the labour market. Useful digital skills. They want decent work, decent pay, and they want access to capital if they start a business,” he said 

Van Loosdrecht said unemployment was identified as a greater push factor for migration among the young people surveyed than insecurity.

According to him, better opportunities at home could significantly influence young Nigerians who are considering what is popularly referred to as ‘Japa’.

“If you had a thriving economy with opportunities and skills, people would stay,” he said.

The ambassador said Nigeria’s young population was already contributing significantly to the economy through businesses, technology, creative industries, fashion, music and other sectors.

He, however, stressed the need for government and other stakeholders to move beyond analysing youth challenges to implementing policies that address them.

“We must act on those findings, change the systems so that skills, work and capital really become accessible. We need to act, not only analyse,” he said.

The survey also framed youth unemployment and economic exclusion as security issues, with young Nigerians advocating a “Jobs before Policing” approach.

The position reflects the view that economic stability, inclusion and access to livelihoods can reduce some of the vulnerabilities that expose young people to insecurity and other social risks.

The survey recommended that governments and financial institutions develop more inclusive funding models for young entrepreneurs by removing barriers such as stringent collateral requirements and complex application processes.

It also called for greater use of mobile technology and local mentorship to expand access to finance for young businesses.

On employment, the report recommended a shift from training programmes focused largely on certification to initiatives that lead directly to income generation.

The report presented by Derefaka  Derefaka, Co-Chairperson of the Youth Advisory Committee to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria, proposed stronger employer integration, paid work-based learning and commercial agribusiness programmes to improve the transition from training to employment.

The report further recommended policies to encourage local job creation, including entry-level employment programmes, youth hiring quotas and tax incentives for businesses that employ young people.

Van Loosdrecht said the Youth Pulse policy brief was intended to provide decision-makers with a better understanding of the concerns and aspirations of young Nigerians.

He said the Netherlands Embassy was committed to creating space for young people to advise, challenge and influence its work.

“Creating meaningful opportunities for young people requires the government, the private sector, civil society, development partners and, most importantly, the young people themselves, to be part of the conversation,” he said.

Also speaking, Abiodun Essiet, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Community Engagement (North Central), said the concerns and demands of young Nigerians had the power to influence policy and drive change.

Essiet commended the young people involved in the Youth Pulse initiative, saying the government remained committed to ensuring that the voices of young Nigerians were heard.

She also called for greater inclusion of women in youth-focused platforms and decision-making processes, stressing that women should not be treated merely as additional numbers but as contributors to national development.

The Youth Pulse Dialogue, themed “Nigerian Youth at the Heart of National Development,” brought together young people and stakeholders to examine the findings and discuss practical responses to the challenges identified by the survey.