What are the Major Causes of Unemployment in Nigeria?

Unemployment is a situation whereby persons capable and willing to work are unable to find suitable paid employment. Unemployment is one of the major problems in Nigeria because it has caused so many issues like insecurity, banditry, kidnapping and other related acts.

The system of the country has broken down; as there is no sector that is well-performing that can absorb or reduce the rate of unemployment and this results in a high level of poverty which makes so many youths engage in criminal activities.
There are other causative factors for the high unemployment rate in Nigeria, which has been posing a big threat to the huge population. 

One of these is corruption, another challenge, as favoritism and nepotism became key requirements for job placement and replacement in both the private and public sectors. 

Today jobs are not being given based on merit and these have denied well qualified Nigerians the opportunity to be employed in any sector in the country. 

12 Major Causes of Unemployment in Nigeria

The following are the 12 major causes of unemployment in Nigeria

1. Poor education

Unemployment affects the populace in the area of education. Parents are unable to afford books and pay school fees. As a result, children roam about the street for survival a d they end up causing nuisances to the society at large.

2. Increase in maternal death

This is inevitable. With no jobs, parents are unable to provide for the pregnant wives and even the new born when they fall ill. Mothers and nannies lack the essential need of life like good food.

3. Insurgency

This is another problem of unemployment in Nigeria. When people are ready to work and the work is not available, they mingle with bad people and vices and start fighting the government. In Nigeria, the south were granted amnesty and given jobs both vocation. This helped to check the rate of insurgency and terrorism.

4. Negative effect on the economy

The absence of employment can affect the economy negatively. When most people are not working and the few working can hardly make ends meet, recession sets in. This reduces economic growth.

5. Inequality of income

This means a situation where money is concentrated in the hands of few people ﴾the rich﴿ while the others which is a greater proportion are wallowing in poverty and shame. The income is concentrated in the hands of the rich.

6. Increase in death rate

As a result of unemployment, there is increase in death rate. People die either because they are malnourished or because they cannot afford hospital bills.

7. Poverty

When there is no source of income, poverty sets in. citizens are unable to feed and clothe themselves. Some people engage in disguised employment which is a situation where you earn less than you deserve or qualify for. The quality of life is reduced because of unemployment.

8. Increase in birth rate

When people are unemployment, there is the increase in birth rate because they spend so much time at home and as such procreation in the result.

9. Frustration

Unemployment can cause depression and frustration on the populace. Most people end up committing suicide because of the trauma of not been able to make ends meet. Some take to hard drugs and alcohol thereby risking their health.

10. High rate of crimes

Owing to the fact that jobs are not available, some citizens take to violence and dubious ways to make ends meet. They involve in things like robbery, fraud, prostitution, rituals, pocket picking to make money.

11. Corruption

It is the intrinsic value given from a person to another, which is not based on performance or qualification.  Corruption erodes trust, weakens democracy, hampers economic development and further exacerbates inequality, poverty, social division and the environmental crisis. In 2012, Nigeria was estimated to have lost over $400 billion to corruption since its independence. In 2021, the country ranked 154th in the 180 countries listed in Transparency International’s Corruption Index (with South Sudan, at 180th, being the most corrupt, and Denmark the least)

12. Nepotism

This is another major cause of unemployment in Nigeria. It is the process of giving benefit to a person or a family member who does not deserve that benefit in an organization or institution.