A new report by an independent humanitarian non-profit organisation, Plan International Nigeria, said that nearly 80 million Nigerian youths are unemployed, while over 1,500 schools have been shut in the past two years due to insecurity.
While raising alarm over the worsening conditions confronting young people in the country, the report stated that the development had left approximately one million children out of school.
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Titled “State of the Nigerian Youth Report 2025”, the document presented in Abuja on Thursday by the Advocacy and Youth Programme Officer at Plan International Nigeria, Jonathan Abakpa, painted a troubling picture of wasted opportunities in a country where over 60 per cent of the population is below the age of 30.
The report, produced in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria and contributions from policy and advocacy experts, was presented at the Nigerian Youth Dialogue in commemoration of International Youth Day, organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Youth in Parliament.
According to Abakpa, with a population of more than 200 million and one of the largest youth populations in the world, Nigeria should be a powerhouse of innovation and growth.
He, however, said that unemployment, insecurity, poverty, and poor infrastructure continue to weigh heavily on young people, warning that unless urgent action is taken, the country risks losing its greatest asset.
It disclosed that each year, about 1.7 million graduates leave tertiary institutions, but jobs remain elusive.
“This is not just a statistic. It represents shattered dreams and wasted talent. The desperation is pushing many into irregular migration, cybercrime, and other risky coping mechanisms”, Abakpa stated.
According to the report, more than 600,000 people have been killed and 2.2 million kidnapped in recent years, saying that many victims are young people.
Abakpa said the tragedy of insecurity is not only the loss of lives but also the collapse of opportunities.
He said: “Over 1,500 schools have been shut down in the past two years, leaving one million children out of school. Education, which should be a ladder of opportunity, has been violently pulled away from them.”
The report also highlighted how violence has crippled farming communities, revealing that over 77,000 lives have been lost to tribal conflicts in the last five years, while 2.6 million people, mainly from farming areas, have been displaced.
It said that with farmers unable to access their lands, UNICEF has warned that 25 million Nigerians face hunger.
According to the report, over 82.9 million people, representing 40.1 percent of Nigerians, live in poverty.
Abakpa observed that many young people no longer believe that government policies are designed for their good.
According to him, that disconnect must be urgently addressed if the country is to avoid alienation of an entire generation.
Despite the grim realities, the report stressed that Nigerian youth are not only victims but also innovators and change-makers.
It called on the government, the private sector, and development partners to urgently expand job creation initiatives while ensuring that vocational training and entrepreneurship schemes are effectively connected to industries.
Speaking, the Chairman of the House Committee on Youth in Parliament, Hon. Ayodeji Alao-Akala, reaffirmed his commitment to promoting youth-focused policies, describing Nigerian youths as the nation’s future.
The lawmaker stated that the National Assembly had dedicated significant time to passing bills and motions aimed at creating a more conducive environment for young people to thrive.
“As a country, we cannot afford to ignore the aspirations of our youth. They are the future of Nigeria, and our responsibility as lawmakers is to ensure their potential is harnessed for national development,” he said.
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