By Citizenship Online
A new report has raised alarm over the worsening conditions confronting Nigerian youths, warning that unemployment, insecurity, and a deepening trust deficit in governance are pushing the country’s young population into cycles of vulnerability and exclusion.
The State of the Nigerian Youth Report 2025, presented in Abuja on Thursday by Jonathan Abakpa, Esq., Advocacy and Youth Programme Officer at Plan International Nigeria, painted a troubling picture of wasted opportunities in a country where over 60 percent of the population is below the age of 30.
The report was presented at the Nigerian Youth Dialogue in commemoration of the International Youth Day organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Youth In Parliament on Thursday.
“With more than 200 million people and one of the largest youth populations in the world, Nigeria should be a powerhouse of innovation and growth,” Abakpa said.
“But the reality is stark: unemployment, insecurity, poverty, and poor infrastructure continue to weigh heavily on young people. Unless urgent action is taken, the country risks losing its greatest asset.”
The report revealed that nearly 80 million young Nigerians are unemployed, representing 53 percent of the youth population, adding that each year, about 1.7 million graduates leave tertiary institutions, but jobs remain elusive.
“This is not just a statistic,” Abakpa noted. “It represents shattered dreams and wasted talent. The desperation is pushing many into irregular migration, cybercrime, and other risky coping mechanisms.”
The National Bureau of Statistics reported a 5.3 percent rise in youth unemployment in the first quarter of 2024. Although there was a slight improvement in the second quarter, the situation remains dire.
Beyond joblessness, insecurity was flagged as a major factor shaping the lives of young Nigerians. According to the report, more than 600,000 people have been killed and 2.2 million kidnapped in recent years. Many victims are young people.
“The tragedy of insecurity is not only the loss of lives but also the collapse of opportunities,” Abakpa 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 noted how violence has crippled farming communities. 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. With farmers unable to access their lands, UNICEF has warned that 25 million Nigerians risk hunger.
According to the report, 40.1 percent of Nigerians, over 82.9 million people, live in poverty. For young people, this deepens the struggle for survival.
“Poverty is not just about empty pockets, it is about restricted choices and wasted futures,” Abakpa said.
Corruption, too, was listed as a major barrier to progress. The report noted that it drains resources meant for development and further erodes trust in governance.
Infrastructure gaps, ranging from bad roads and unreliable electricity to digital exclusion, were also highlighted as obstacles preventing youth from converting ambition into meaningful enterprise. “Without these basics, youth energy cannot translate into innovation or enterprise. Their potential remains locked away by systemic neglect,” Abakpa stressed.
Findings from the sources which informed the report showed varying challenges confronting the youth across Nigeria’s regions.
In the North Central, unemployment, high cost of living, and insecurity dominated the responses.
In the North West and North East, kidnapping and banditry were described as the most pressing threats. In the South West and South East, inflation and underemployment stood out, reflecting the burden of rising living costs. In the South South, lack of access to education, poverty, and unemployment were most frequently cited.
“These findings show that while the challenges are national, they manifest differently depending on the region,” Abakpa explained. “Solutions must be context-specific, not one-size-fits-all.”
Perhaps the most moving part of the report is how young Nigerians perceive government responsiveness. A majority of respondents rated it as “poor” or “very poor,” reflecting what Abakpa described as a “deep trust deficit between Nigerian youth and the state.”
“Many young people no longer believe government policies are designed for their good. That disconnect must be urgently addressed if we are to avoid alienation of an entire generation,” he warned.
Despite the grim realities, the report stressed that Nigerian youth are not only victims but also innovators and change-makers. From tech entrepreneurship to creative industries, many are already shaping the country’s cultural and economic landscape.
“The strength of our youth lies not only in their numbers but also in their adaptability and hunger for change,” Abakpa said. “What they demand is not charity but justice, opportunity, and dignity.”
The report urged government, the private sector, and development partners to urgently expand job creation initiatives while ensuring that vocational training and entrepreneurship schemes are effectively linked to industries. It also stressed the need for access to credit to allow small enterprises to thrive and create sustainable pathways to decent work.
On insecurity, Abakpa argued that the solution cannot rely solely on military action. Instead, he called for community-based peacebuilding initiatives, early warning systems, and rehabilitation support for victims of violence. “Schools must be made safe, and young people engaged as active agents of peace, not sidelined as victims of war,” he said.
To break the cycle of poverty and exclusion, the report advocated stronger social protection programmes targeted at marginalised groups such as girls, persons with disabilities, and rural youth. It also called for anti-corruption reforms, including stronger accountability institutions, transparent budgeting processes, and civic participation to restore public trust.
Infrastructure investment was equally described as critical. “Roads, electricity, digital networks, and education facilities are not luxuries, they are the foundations of development. Without them, talent remains locked away. With them, youth potential can be unleashed,” Abakpa added.
One of the boldest proposals of the report is a call to enshrine Universal Basic Education as a constitutional right. “Education must be non-negotiable,” Abakpa declared. “If enshrined in the Constitution, no child would be denied learning due to insecurity, poverty, or geography. A nation that denies its youth education is a nation mortgaging its future.”
The report concluded with a call for what it described as a new social contract between the Nigerian state and its young people.
“Youth are not leaders of tomorrow, they are partners of today,” Abakpa said. “Nigeria stands at a crossroads. The time for rhetoric is over. The time for responsive leadership and accountable governance is now.”
“This report is a mirror held up to the nation,” Abakpa said. “What we see is a generation ready to lead, if only given the space, the tools, and the trust.”
Chairman of the House Committee on Youth in Parliament, Hon. Ayodeji Alao-Akala, restated his commitment to advancing youth-focused policies, describing Nigerian youths as the future of the nation.
The lawmaker said the National Assembly had devoted significant time to passing bills and motions aimed at creating a more enabling environment for young people to thrive.
“As a country, we cannot afford to ignore the aspirations of our youths. They are the future of Nigeria, and our responsibility as lawmakers is to ensure their potential is harnessed for national development,” he said.
Alao-Akala, who described himself as one of the youthful members of parliament, noted that he remains passionate about ensuring that legislation coming out of the House of Representatives directly impacts young people.
He stressed that policymakers and relevant agencies must ensure the next generation of Nigerians do not experience the same challenges their parents faced.
“Our task as leaders is to make sure the children of tomorrow inherit a country better than what we met, with more opportunities and less hardship,” Alao-Akala said.
The lawmaker assured that his committee would continue to work closely with stakeholders to strengthen youth development programmes and policies that prepare young Nigerians for leadership, innovation, and economic productivity.
The State of the Nigerian Youth Report 2025 was produced by Plan International Nigeria in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria, with contributions from policy and advocacy experts.
