Youth engagement in internet begging and national development in Nigeria

Abstract

The study is on youth engagement in Internet begging and national development. It was designed to examine how internet begging by youths influences the development of our nation Nigeria. The rationale for the study stemmed out of the high rate of youths engagement in internet begging and the fear of the detrimental effect it might have in the development of the nation. The study adopted the survey design. The study was guided by three research questions. Sample was 150 respondents drawn from Jos metropolis. Data were collected by means of a researcher made questionnaire titled Internet Begging and National Development Questionnaire (INBENDEQ) with reliability index of 0.78. Personal contact method was adopted in data collection. Simple percentage was used for data analysis with 50% as bench mark for all the research questions. Results revealed that poverty, displacement from homes and loss of jobs are the main reasons for internet begging by youths. Also it was gathered that internet begging makes youths lazy, and less responsible. The study found that internet begging affects national development due to propensity of leading to poverty and indebtedness among others. The author recommended that the government should empower youths to reduce poverty. Also situations that cause displacement and unemployment like crises, wars should be addressed so that people can go about their businesses well and earn their living.