NACCIMA criticises high unemployment rate in Nigeria

The National President, Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Saratu Aliyu, has condemned the high rate of unemployment in the country, which she quoted rose from 3.5 million in 2010 to about 21 million at 2018 end.

Aliyu noted that based on the data, it could be inferred that there are 23 million people unemployed in Nigeria currently, a situation she said, required urgent attention without further delay.

She made the disclosure yesterday, at the convocation ceremony of the Model Skills Training Programme, organised by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), in Abuja.

Aliyu noted that while the level of unemployment continues to rise, businesses across the country suffer from talent shortage, resulting in difficulty in filling job openings with skilled workers.

This, according to her, is evident based on the growing use of expatriates to sustain production across various sectors of the economy.
She said: “The dangers that unemployment brings to any country are well documented, the issues of insecurity and rising crimes that face Nigeria are currently the focus of national discourse and this is common knowledge.”

She argued that the creation of Model Skills Training Centres would help provide the requisite skills currently needed to meet the industrial sector expectations.

In his contribution, the Director-General, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Dr Timothy Olawale, told the 316 graduates from the training that a solid foundation had been set for them by the ITF.

He said Nigeria is in an emergency situation due to youth unemployment, saying: “Thousands of youths are being turned out by our institutions every year, and hoping that a miracle will happen so they can get a job.

“We need to empower our youths by giving them vocational training, time has gone when those on vocational training are treated with disdain, but we have come to realise that the future of Nigeria depends on vocational training, and the sustainability of Nigeria depends on vocational training.”