Tackling Youth Unemployment through Vocational Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship in Nigeria

Abstract

Promoting entrepreneurship and revamping the vocational skill acquisition colleges will effectively combat youth unemployment in Nigeria. The youth unemployment crisis in Nigeria continues to escalate, almost reaching alarming proportions. This underscores the imperative of legislative interventions to foster youth entrepreneurship by overhauling the existing vocational training institutions. Such initiatives are crucial for equipping young Nigerians with the practical skills and entrepreneurial knowledge necessary to create their own job opportunities and contribute to economic growth. Promoting an "enterprise culture" through targeted educational programs can significantly alleviate youth unemployment. However, various challenges impede this progress, including insufficient funding, inadequate infrastructure, limited curriculum scope, and perceptions of entrepreneurship. In view of this, the following recommendations are advanced: • Lawmakers need to develop legislations to specifically address the challenges faced by youth and women entrepreneurs, particularly regarding access to funding and mentorship programs. • Legislators should introduce laws to back technology-driven entrepreneurship in Nigeria. • Legislators may wish to create a supportive environment in response to economic sector failures and stringent polices such as a devalued naira and unfavourable exchange rates.