YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Youth empowerment is the key to sustainable development. Nigeria which stands as the youngest population in Africa has more than 50% of her population fall within the age range known as Youths (16-39)(NBS Report, 2018).The implication of this reality is that Nigeria has a massive prospect for economic development but that will be if the country can efficiently harness this human resources efficiently. Though numerous youth empowerment programs have been put in place by the Nigerian government, those programs lack sustainability. Today, the sad reality is that most of the youths in Nigeria are unemployed.The Nigeria bureau of statistics states that about 20.9 Million Nigerians were unemployed as at the third quarter of 2018, this data also shows that more than 80% of this unemployed Nigerians are youths, the working population of the country.With such a population of youths and drastic dilemma of unemploymentand poverty in the country, there is a need for government to adopt new strategy to engage this young population in a very productive way.This paper examines youth empowerment concepts that can be used to engage this huge human resources (the youth in Nigeria) in a productive way that will build sustainable economic development. The paper X-rays youth empowerment concept and their developmental potentials if they are carefully implemented with regulatory frame work to drive their sustainability.The study utilized questionnaires as the primary source of data and research reports and academic publications as the secondary sources of data. The study recommended that the youth empowerment programs should be revamped in a strategic way that will engage the youths and add massive revenue to the economy.