FG and ILO Review Youth Employment Plan With Greater Focus on Employers
By GLEBM News Desk
The Federal Government and the International Labour Organization are reviewing Nigeria’s youth employment strategy with an emphasis on connecting skills development more directly to the needs of businesses and the availability of decent work.
A two-day private-sector consultation held in Lagos focused on the challenges employers face in recruiting and retaining young workers, as well as opportunities to strengthen apprenticeships, internships, enterprise development and pathways into employment.
The discussions form part of a review of the Nigeria Youth Employment Action Plan 2025–2030. The process seeks to address persistent problems including unemployment, underemployment, informal work, mismatches between training and labour-market needs, and difficulties young people encounter when transitioning from school into paid work.
A central issue is the gap between acquiring qualifications and finding work that uses them. Training programmes can improve knowledge and technical ability, but their impact is limited when employers are not hiring, participants lack practical experience or the skills being taught do not match demand.
Closer engagement with businesses can help training providers identify areas where workers are needed and adapt courses accordingly. Employers can also contribute through workplace placements, apprenticeships and structured entry-level opportunities that allow young people to gain experience before seeking permanent positions.
Small businesses are important to this approach because they provide employment and entrepreneurial opportunities across many sectors. However, smaller firms may face financial and administrative constraints that make recruitment and formal training difficult. Policies that support enterprise growth can therefore complement programmes focused on individual jobseekers.
The consultation also recognised that employment barriers are not experienced equally. Women, persons with disabilities, rural young people and those outside employment, education or training can face additional obstacles in accessing skills development and paid work.
Improving access requires attention to practical issues such as training costs, transport, accessibility, digital connectivity and information about available opportunities. It also requires employers to consider recruitment and workplace practices that may unintentionally exclude qualified candidates.
The quality of employment matters alongside the number of positions created. Sustainable progress involves opportunities that provide fair conditions, skills development and reasonable prospects for advancement, rather than relying solely on short-term placements or informal work without adequate protection.
The review comes amid broader calls for higher investment in businesses and industries to generate more jobs. Skills programmes cannot independently resolve an employment shortage if enterprises lack the demand, financing or confidence to expand their workforces.
The consultation’s practical value will depend on how its recommendations are translated into implementation, including clearer coordination between training institutions, employers, government agencies and employment services.
As the review proceeds, useful indicators will include employer participation, apprenticeship and internship placements, job retention, earnings and access for groups that face barriers to employment. These measures can help determine whether the revised plan is improving the transition from training to productive work.
