Youths In Nigeria Research Articles

A cross-sectional study on the perceived risk of COVID-19 and its association with the usage patterns of e-cigarettes among adolescents and young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria

The study aimed to assess the perception of a higher risk of COVID-19 infection among young people who used e-cigarettes, and its association with a change in the use of e-cigarettes during the pandemic in Nigeria. A secondary analysis of the Nigerian component of a multi-country online survey data, which was obtained from adolescents and young adults on e-cigarette use from November 1st to December 30th, 2021, was conducted. Multi-nominal regression analyses were done to determine the associations between the dependent (use of e-cigarettes) and independent (perception that e-cigarette users are more likely to be infected with COVID-19) variables after adjusting for confounders (health status, COVID-19 status, HIV status, anxiety level, age and sex). Of the 568 respondents (52.8% male), 122 (21.5%) perceived that e-cigarette users were more likely to be infected with COVID-19. In addition, 188 (33.1%) respondents increased e-cigarette smoking during the pandemic. A greater percentage of participants who perceived that e-cigarette use is associated with a greater risk of COVID-19 infection, and a significantly higher percentage of participants with high levels of anxiety reported decreased e-cigarette use (28.6% versus 13.3%, p = 0.029). The perception that e-cigarette use increased the risk for COVID-19 was associated with higher odds of an increase in e-cigarette use (AOR: 1.328) and lower odds of a decrease in e-cigarette use (AOR: 0.580) during the COVID-19 pandemic, though these associations were not statistically significant. The persistence of e-cigarette use among the youth in Nigeria despite awareness of COVID-19 risks highlights the need for stronger public health interventions. Simply providing information on risks is insufficient; targeted strategies addressing addiction, social factors, and accessibility are crucial for meaningful behavioural change.

Awareness of, willingness to use, and experiences with Pre-exposure prophylaxis among youth in Nigeria

BackgroundYouth (ages 14–24) in Nigeria have disproportionately high rates of new HIV infection. Pre-exposure prophylaxis could substantially reduce new infections among youth but has not been scaled up. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess Pre-exposure prophylaxis awareness, willingness to use, and prior use of Pre-exposure prophylaxis among youth in Nigeria.MethodsThis is a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from a quasi-experimental pilot study (clinical trial NCT04070287). The analysis focused on Pre-exposure prophylaxis awareness, willingness to use, and prior use among 324 youth recruited between September 2019 to March 2020. Descriptive statistics were calculated as frequencies and percentages for categorical variables and means and standard deviations for continuous variables.ResultsOf the 324 participants, the mean age and standard deviation were 21.17 (± 2.20) years. The majority were 20–24 years old (75.9%) and male (57.7%). Only 30.7% used condoms consistently over three months. Regarding Pre-exposure prophylaxis awareness and willingness, 62.6% had never heard of Pre-exposure prophylaxis, and 158 (50.1%) reported willingness to use Pre-exposure prophylaxis. Only 10 (3.2%) reported having used Pre-exposure prophylaxis.ConclusionNigerian youth have low awareness of and prior use of Pre-exposure prophylaxis. Given the gap between prior use and willingness to use Pre-exposure prophylaxis, our findings suggest missed opportunities to prevent new HIV infections among youth in Nigeria. Efforts to increase awareness and uptake of Pre-exposure prophylaxis among this population should consider youth-led Pre-exposure prophylaxis outreach efforts and effectively communicate the benefits of Pre-exposure prophylaxis to this population.Trial RegistrationNCT04070287, the Date of registration of the trial is 20-07-2019.

Curbing the menace of substance abuse among youths in Nigeria: A call to action

Curbing the menace of substance abuse among youths in Nigeria: A call to action

Ethnic affiliation and protective sexual behaviours among youth in Nigeria.

Investing in the sexual and reproductive health of young adults can directly and indirectly contribute to accelerated economic growth. Looking beyond individual determinants of sexual behaviours and focusing on cultural factors such as ethnic affiliation are crucial for interventions and programme planning, particularly in a context like Nigeria. Using a concurrent triangulation mixed-methods design, this article explores the associations between ethnic affiliations and protective sexual behaviours of young adults in Nigeria. The quantitative data was derived from a representative sample of 1,393 male and female youth aged 16-24 years in three states purposively selected from three regions in Nigeria, while qualitative data was based on 18 focus groups and 36 in-depth interviews. The quantitative data was analysed using frequency distributions and regressions, while content analysis was employed to analyse qualitative data. Descriptive results showed that abstinence was higher for Hausa (80%) young adults compared with Yoruba (72%) and Igbo (68%) young adults. Condom use was lowest for Hausa (56%) young adults compared with Igbo (80%) and Yoruba (81%) young adults. The effect of education on abstinence differed by ethnicity and living with two parents was associated with a higher likelihood of abstinence among youth in all ethnic groups. Fear of early fatherhood and unplanned pregnancy was a prominent reason for protective sexual behaviour among Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa young adults. The findings from this study show that young adults who engage in protective sexual behaviours may identify different rationales for this behaviour based on their ethnic background. Programme planners interested in promoting and encouraging protective sexual behaviours should recognize these multiple reasons across different ethnic affiliations to scale up and sustain existing interventions.

Influence of Media on Religio-Cultural Development and Academic Performance of Youths in Nigeria

Media plays a significant role in the religio-cultural development and academic performance of Nigerian youths. It connects them across religious and cultural boundaries, promoting the expression and preservation of religious and cultural activities. However, the proliferation of digital media has also led to challenges such as misinformation, religio-cultural erosion, and distractions that can hinder academic progress and undermine traditional beliefs. This paper analyses existing literature and empirical studies to provide insights into the complex interplay between media exposure, religio-cultural identity, and academic outcomes among Nigerian youth. The positive influence of media on the religio-cultural development and academic performance of Nigerian youth is significant, as exposure to diverse religious and cultural perspectives fosters tolerance, understanding, and appreciation for Nigeria's rich heritage. Educational content aids academic growth and skill development. Media serves as a tool for empowerment, inspiring youth to pursue their passions, educational goals, and a deeper connection with their religio-cultural roots. However, it emphasizes the need for media literacy and critical analysis to navigate potential challenges posed by media's influence on religio-cultural values and academic pursuits.

Off-label use of tramadol combined with Lacasera® soft drink: A sub-acute toxicological study using Wistar rats to evaluate the effects of combination on human basic haematological parameters and weight changes

Tramadol is a synthetic opioid that is used to treat moderate to severe pain in both acute and chronic conditions. Tramadol is predominantly used off-label for premature ejaculation and euphoria among male youth in Nigeria, especially when dissolved in Lacasera® soft drink, which gives it a pleasant taste. Research has not yet examined the effects of this combination on hematological parameters, despite the fact that this type of abuse is common among young people and poses a public health risk. A 28-day subacute study was conducted with Wistar rats weighing 160-180g. The rats were separated into 8 groups of 6 each. The control groups: 1 and 2 were treated with Lacasera® and deionized water respectively. Groups 3, 4 and 5 received 35mg/kg per day, 70.7mg/kg per day and 106mg/kg per day of Tramadol dissolved in deionized water respectively. Groups 6, 7 and 8 received similar doses of Tramadol dissolved in Lacasera®. Blood samples were analyzed using auto-analyzer and standard methods. The data was analyzed using a statistical tool software (SPSS version 27). All results were presented as mean ± SD. Values were considered significant at p<0.05. Hematological analysis of groups treated with Lacasera®-Tramadol combination shows dose-dependent significant decreases (p<0.05) in PCVs, RBCs, and Hbs. WBCs and platelets increased in groups that received Lacasera®-Tramadol combination. The study concludes that regular or infrequent users of Lacasera® without Tramadol are unlikely to experience serious hematological complications. However, chronic Tramadol-Lacasera® users will experience increased toxicity over time, leading to hemolytic anemia.

New media audience and sexuality issues in big brother naija.

The new media effectively plays the role of speedily conveying media content to various online communities, and this internet technology also allows for the storage and retrieval of content. The organizers of Big Brother Naija (BBN) appear to have leveraged this facility to interact with the audience of the reality show in the most profound manner in the Nigerian media ecosystem. Adopting John Locke's Empiricist Reflection Theory (ERT), the article uses quantitative and qualitative research methods to examine if coders (the new media audience) perceived the promotion of nudity, illicit sex, inordinate kisses, and vulgarity in the 2018 edition of the Big Brother Naija (BBN), codenamed "Double Wahala." A checklist of 72 internal consistency reliability was used to obtain the quantitative data while the data were analyzed using simple percentages and a pie chart. This was complemented by qualitative research modalities of historical-analytic and document observation methods. The study found that the participants and organizers have, for economic reasons, thrown caution on morality and values to the wind with the outcome of actual sexual intercourse among the participants amounting to 52% among other studied variables. The conclusion reached is that the organizers of the program should redesign it to promote wholesome entertainment, education, and enlightenment of the audience, especially the youth in Nigeria.

Demographics and Five Cs of PYD as Predictors of the Domains of Contribution among Youth in Nigeria

In recent times, research has focused on positive youth development (PYD) amidst the deficits of youth. However, little is known about PYD and its potential to predict social engagement. Thus, this study aimed to examine the presence of the 5Cs of PYD (competence, confidence, connection, character, and caring) and its difference in gender and prediction to contribution, specifically social engagement among family, peers, schools, and community. The sample size consisted of Nigerian youth in University (N = 394, Mage = 18.42, SD = 1.02). The PYD framework served as the theoretical perspective underpinning the study. Questionnaires were administered using the 5Cs model of PYD and contribution items. Data were analysed for descriptive, correlations, and hierarchical regression to examine the predictors of contribution while controlling for demographics. The results showed greater scores in competence, connection, and character for women. Competence and connection (β = 0.56, p < 0.05) specifically had significantly independent associations with community volunteerism. While the findings highlight the Cs experienced and predictive values among each variable in the Nigerian context, future research could consider how each domain of the 5Cs holistically promotes contribution equally in males and females among diverse Nigerian youth. The research has implications for research, policy, and practice.

The Increasing Incidence of Rapes Caused by Illicit Use of Skunchies and Rohypnol Among Youths in Nigeria

The ugly rise in rape cases in Nigeria caused by persistent use of stimulants commonly referred to as ‘skunchies and Rohypnol posed a great challenge for health professionals and drug regulatory authorities. We report two cases of illicit use of controlled or banned substances in the preparation of ‘zobo’ artisanal beverages in some parts of Nigeria and consumed by some youths to be ‘high’. In this case, dried or fresh leaves of marijuana (Cannabis sativa) are soaked in water for 48 hours, and the resulting filtrate will be mixed with cracked cocaine and ethanol. This mixture will then be added to prepared artisanal ‘zobo’ (Hibiscus sabdariffa) beverages and sold to some youths for consumption to be ‘high’. In case two, instead of adding the abovementioned substances to the ‘zobo’ beverages, Rohypnol (Flunitrazepam) a CNS depressant was added. The consequences of using these two preparations by some youths aged between 18 and 40 years are elevated rape cases in Nigeria (with many rape cases unreported). Most of the consumers of these preparations are currently in rehabilitation health centres across the country due to various degrees of CNS imbalance.

Pragmatic Dynamics of Some Foregrounded Computer Lexical Items in Nigerian Youth Discourse

This study set out to investigate instances of foregrounded computer lexical items in discourse, with the aim to examine their underlying contextual usage among some youth in Nigeria. The pragmatic dynamics of such foregrounded lexical items constitute the focus of the analysis. The pragmatic approach of conversational implicature was adopted as the theoretical framework for this study. The methodology adopted for this research was the qualitative approach. The research findings revealed that the conceptual meanings of the foregrounded computer lexical items were shifted to transcend their denotations such as to generate dependence on contextual forces for appropriate interpretation. Furthermore, it was observed that contextual factors triggered both the encoding and decoding of the deviation-type foregrounded computer lexical items. Propitiously, the notion of conversational implicature provides us with an explanation of utterance interpretation, in consonance with pragmatic norms, and consequently prevent breakdown in communication, which could be caused by deviation-type foregrounding. Based on the findings of this research, further studies on foregrounding as it relates to transfer of registers and their contextual implications are strongly recommended.

Moral Implication of Big Brother Naija (BBN) on Nigeria Youths

The phenomenon of Big Brother Nigeria (BBN) has garnered significant attention due to its moral implications on Nigerian youth. This paper delves into the ethical ramifications of BBN on the younger generation of Nigeria, exploring how the show’s content influences their behavior, values, and perceptions and other factors that are responsible for moral decline among Nigerian Youths. The rise of reality television programs, such as BBN, has perpetuated a culture of voyeurism and sensationalism, which raises concerns regarding the impact on the moral fabric of Nigerian society. BBN exhibits a wide range of behaviors, including deceit, manipulation, and public humiliation, which can normalize and desensitize the youth to these negative actions. One of the primary moral implications of BBN on Nigerian youth is the erosion of traditional values and ethics. This study adopts historical, descriptive and sociological approaches. It was revealed that the show often emphasizes materialism, instant gratification, and superficiality, promoting a value system that prioritizes fame, wealth, and self-interest. On the positive side, BBN also exposes the Nigerian youth to diverse cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives. It offers a platform for social issues to be discussed, raising awareness and encouraging critical thinking. It concludes that, its content and presentation have the potential to shape the behavior, values, and perceptions of the younger generation. The study recommends that the citizens and government should rise to take serious measure against the activities of Big Brother Naija or better still to set laws that will check and regulate their activities.

Vocational and Technical Education Training: Panacea to Youth Unemployment and Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria

The youth unemployment in Nigeria needs an urgent attention of educational stake holders if the future of Nigeria youths is of paramount importance to the nation. The purpose of this study is to use Vocational and Technical Education as a way forward to eradicate youth unemployment in Nigeria. While the objectives were to determine the principal factors responsible for youths unemployment and how Vocational and Technical Education can be used to solve the problem. Two research questions were formulated to guide the study while two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significant. The population of the study was four hundred and eighty five who are youth and adult were captured from North central Nigeria. Two experts from the department of Industrial and Technology Education, Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria, validated the instrument. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, while instrument used was a 30 items questionnaire to obtain data from the respondents. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyse the data collected. Finding of the study shows that attention should be given to youth’s unemployment in Nigeria so as to reduce the level of unemployment if not totally eliminated. This will prevent youth from becoming a menace to the society. To achieve this, Nigeria youths needs to learn skills in vocational and technical education for self-reliance. Based on these findings, it was recommended that all three tiers of Nigeria government that is, federal, states and local government needs to equip vocational and technical colleges throughout the country. Emphasis needed to be given to recruitment of quality human resources to teach in these colleges so as to impact the needful knowledge and skills to Nigeria youths.

Music: An Instrument of Identity and Social Stability for the Youths in the 21st Century

As one of the most ancient arts known to man, great thinkers like Plato and Aristotle highly spoke of Music as a powerful tool for taming the restless souls and appealing to emotions, especially the youths in the 21st Century. Understanding this intrinsic power of Music is necessary to turn art into an effective tool for various human expressions. This expression is linked to the overall makeup of a person or a group of persons. It defines them as individuals bound by a common aspiration, tradition, history, ancestry and future. This expression is also the truth of the principle of identity expressed as a law of thought but lived as a principle of existence. This is the position that this paper seeks to express: that Music can become a tool for identity and art that preserves social stability for the youths in the 21st Century, especially in Nigeria. Data for this work was obtained through observation and the library, and conclusions were made based on the findings. Findings from the work showed that Music serves as an instrument for identity and social stability for the youths in Nigeria in the 21st Century.

An Assessment of N-Power Socio-Economic Policy on Youth Empowerment in South-West Geo-Political Zone in Nigeria

The study evaluates the effectiveness of the N-Power socio-economic policy in empowering youths in Nigeria, particularly in the South-West geo-political zone (Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, and Lagos). In order to assess the program’s impact and challenges in addressing the issue of youth unemployment, the study used both primary and secondary data sources. The research gathered primary data through questionnaires and in-depth interviews, while the secondary data was collected from relevant texts, internet materials, magazines, and official publications about the N-Power empowerment program. Statistical analyses such as frequency tables, percentages, and chi-square were used to analyse the data, The study found that the program has made a little impart in creating jobs and wealth. This is due to the program’s design neglecting the beneficiaries’ impactful participation, leading to targeting problems and threatening the program’s sustainability. The study concludes that N-Power empowerment policies have the measures that could significantly impact youth employment and job creation in the selected states in Nigeria. However, it falls short due to several constraints. Therefore, the study recommends that the government should pursue an outward-oriented economy. In the pursuit of an outward-oriented economy, the top policy option available to the government is the revamping of the country’s productive base through massive rehabilitation of the nation’s infrastructure

Urbanity, Transgressive Digitality, and COVID-19: Hierarchical Cybercrime(s) and the Subaltern Nigerian Urban Youth in a Global Pandemic

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, among other things, has shown how the contemporary global community is inescapably wired to a virtual existentiality for continued human relations and correspondence. This human–digital relationship however spiked an unprecedented wave of global cybercrime during the pandemic’s 2020 upsurge. Reflecting on its (trans)national/situational peculiarities, I argue that Nigerian COVID-19 cybercrime uniquely revealed a heightened feature of deviant urban-youth subculture interrogating the dominant systemic neglect of the youth in Nigeria and its link to European colonialism/contemporary Western neoliberalism. The paper proposes that redressing Nigerian cybercrime would require (among other things) concerted global efforts to reintegrate the urban-youth.

‘Everybody has to be accountable’: calling out and dragging practice among university youths in Nigeria

Calling out and dragging practice has emerged as one of the dominant popular cultures among Nigerian youths owing to the ubiquity of social media platforms. However, despite the growing acceptability of calling out and dragging among the youths, empirical research focusing on this online practice are generally rare. Therefore, this study investigated University of Ibadan undergraduates’ conceptions and dispositions towards calling out and dragging on Twitter. The theory of reasoned action was employed as the conceptual framework, while data were primarily sourced from 318 undergraduates who were selected through the multistage sampling technique. Survey questionnaires and in-depth interview methods were strategically combined for the purpose of data elicitation. Results showed that the majority of the respondents (64%) conceived calling out and dragging as the tagging of the depraved members of society. Although the most significant single share (55.5%) identified celebrities as the category of people frequently called out and dragged on Twitter, most of them (55.9%) mentioned religious issues as the trending topic they usually consciously avoided. Calling out and dragging is an online practice that needs to be moderated because of its potential multiple social ramifications.

A systematic review of the evidence on the effectiveness of sexuality education interventions on young people's sexual and reproductive health outcomes in Nigeria

Poor sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes among Nigeria's youth necessitate urgent interventions to meet the country's sustainable development goal (SDG) SRH target by 2030. This review evaluates Nigeria's SRH educational interventions, focusing on their effectiveness in improving young people's (YP) SRH outcomes. It highlights the global implications of these outcomes on achieving the SDG by 2030. The review, following PRISMA standards, analyzed peer-reviewed journals and gray literature (from January 2017-June 2023), using narrative synthesis and Joanna Briggs institute (JBI) quality appraisal checklists for quasi-experimental and cross-sectional studies. The search found 1021 studies, with 6 meeting inclusion criteria (4 quasi-experimental and 2 cross-sectional studies). All reported significant improvements in YPSRH outcomes, including knowledge and attitudes towards SRH themes, uptake of SRH and HIV/STI services, parental and societal support, and reduction in risky sexual behaviors. Quality assessment revealed several methodological flaws such as inadequate blinding and contamination measures. The review offers insights for YP interventions, but methodological flaws limit effectiveness. Further studies with rigorous designs and longer follow-up are needed. The absence of economic evaluation data is a knowledge gap with important implications for decision-makers.

ENHANCING ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH CHEMISTRY EDUCATION: IMPLICATION FOR NIGERIA YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN THE 21st CENTURY

The study investigated enhancing entrepreneurship opportunities through chemistry education: Implication for Nigeria youth empowerment in 21st century. Three research questions with their corresponding null hypotheses guided the study. A quasi-experimental, non-randomized control group design was adopted in three intact groups. population of this study was 954 SS 3 chemistry students in Odeda Local Government Area. A sample of 142 chemistry students was drawn using a purposive and simple random sampling techniques from three (3) out of 18 public schools in the LGA. Three intact classes were randomly assigned experimental groups (two classes) and control group (one class). Both experimental and control groups were subjected to pre-and post-testing. A 20-item tagged “Chemistry Practical Skills Acquisition on Soap and Detergent Production” (CPSASDP) structured on a 4-point rating scale developed by the researchers was the instrument used for data collection. It was validated by three experts in chemistry education and measurement and evaluation. The reliability estimate was computed using Cronbach’s Alpha with coefficient index of 0.75. The three groups were taught the same concepts, but with different instructional arrangement. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to for answering research questions and Z-test for answering the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that both entrepreneurial skills engagements enhance skills acquisition if appropriately handled. In addition, the hypotheses were accepted because they only differed in their mean score differences. Based on the results, it was recommended among others that students should apply the skills acquired in Chemistry practical to enhance their entrepreneurship development.

A Moderating Role of Gender on Agro-Entrepreneurial Intention Among Youths

This article aimed to examine the impact of subjective norm (SN), attitude and perceived behavioural control (PBC) on Nigerian youths’ agro-entrepreneurial intention (EI) as well as moderating role of gender. The unit of analysis is 400 youths in Nigeria, ranging from ages of 18 to 40 years. In this study, structural equation modelling was used. The result shows that attitude, SN and PBC have significant relationship with Nigerian youths’ agro-EI. Also, there is no significant difference between men and women on PBC and attitude towards agro-entrepreneurship, but there is a significant difference on SN. Standard estimates revealed that women have a stronger SN than men. Finally, it was discovered that Nigerian youths have interest in agro-entrepreneurship. This study is unique since it focused specifically on agro-entrepreneurial intent and the moderating role of gender in an agrarian and gender sensitive zone, which many studies ignored. Gender role was emphasized in this study. Thus, it has shown that society and community have more influence on women than men when engaging in agro-entrepreneurship.

Have we lost touch with the Prophet Amos's warning? Church leaders and blood money rituals among youths in Nigeria

This article reviews the literature on how religious leaders in Nigeria have become complacent and conspire in thecorrupt activities of members of their congregations. Church leaders, who are meant to be guardians of ethics and morality, have lost it and are now dining with and covering people of dubious character. Some of these young people who engage in money rituals give money to these pastors, who accept it without inquiry. These young people are revered in the church and receive special prayers and honours. Others, who aspire to the same honours, seek ways to generate quick cash. This study investigates the role of church leaders in the growing ritual activities among Nigerian youths. It concludes by admonishing church leaders to emulate the life of Jesus, who was not afraid to speak the truth to the people whomhe was shepherding.