Nigeria's Youth Population and the Imperative of Skills-Based Education

As Nigeria's population is projected to become the world's third-most populous, concerns are growing about the gap between education and employability, with youth unemployment escalating. Former Minister of Transportation Mu'azu Jaji Sambo has voiced alarm, warning that the country is at risk of a severe socio-economic crisis unless it prioritizes skills-based learning. Speaking at the Impact Forum 2025, Sambo emphasized the need for an education system that merges theoretical knowledge with practical skills and entrepreneurship, highlighting the importance of digital literacy, artificial intelligence, and problem-solving.

Key Takeaways:

• Nigeria's youth population is a ticking socio-economic time bomb, with more than 10% of youth neither in school, nor in work, nor training, as noted by former Minister of Transportation Mu'azu Jaji Sambo.
• The country's economy grew by only 3.13% in the first quarter of 2023, further exacerbating the issue.
• Sambo called for curriculum re-engineering to embed competencies like digital literacy, artificial intelligence, and problem-solving directly into school programmes.
• The former minister cited international examples of countries like Germany, South Korea, and Singapore, where technical and vocational institutions have dramatically reduced youth unemployment through hands-on, industry-linked education.
• Uwaiia Abdullahi Maiwada, founder and executive director of the Uwais Maiwada Aid Foundation, emphasized the need for a shift in Nigeria's education system to prioritize practical skill acquisition to reduce youth unemployment.
• Many Nigerian students are eager to acquire technical skills but lack financial support or infrastructure, as highlighted by Maiwada.
• Former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva warned that neglecting technical education and allowing millions of children to remain out of school threatens national unity.
• Sylva emphasized that addressing human capital development is a collective responsibility, and pushing for a system that incorporates skills can equip young people to not only find jobs but become job creators.

Statistics:

• Nigeria's economy grew by 3.13% in the first quarter of 2023 (Source: [1]).
• Over 10% of Nigeria's youth are neither in school, nor in work, nor training (Source: [2]).
• The number of out-of-school children in Nigeria keeps rising, driven by insecurity, poverty, and ignorance (Source: [3]).

Sources:

• [1] Published in a local newspaper, date unknown (Reported by the speaker at Impact Forum 2025).
• [2] Mu'azu Jaji Sambo's statement at the Impact Forum 2025 (Organised by Uwais Maiwada Aid Foundation).
• [3] Timipre Sylva's statement at the Impact Forum 2025 (Organised by Uwais Maiwada Aid Foundation).