Unemployment and political participation in Africa: a study of Nigeria

Abstract

The rate of unemployment in Africa and particularly Nigeria is increasing at a geometrical progression. This apparently spells doom for the future generation if not checked as a matter of urgency. In the case of Africa and Nigeria in particular, evidences abound to buttress the interconnectedness among unemployment, economic inequality and political participation. This scenario has overwhelming implications for sustainable political development of Nigeria. This paper undertakes to unearth the interactions between unemployment and political participation in Nigeria adopting the Marxist theory of post-colonial state which underlies the political economy approach. Data are drawn from secondary sources which, to a large extent, brings to the fore that the unemployed become victims of economic inequality, and given the high stakes in Nigeria politics, are prone to political apathy, frustration and hopelessness. The paper vehemently proposes that government should exercise the political will to engage constructively in dismantling all seemingly governance and institutional hindrances to popular participation. It is therefore, recommended that money politics be discouraged using appropriate legal measures. Various empowerment and job creation programmes should be objectively implemented to ameliorate the high incidences of economic inequality as a result of unemployment thereby encouraging greater political participation in Nigeria.