It is definitely a day filled with joy, laughter, and excitement. It is a day filled with thousands of “congratulations”. It is a day when thousands of Nigerian youths will enter a new phase of their life.

It is a day thousands of Nigerian graduates passed out after completing their one year compulsory service to the nation. It is the day that marks the ritual ‘Passing out Parade’ (POP). It’s the 2nd of November, 2017; and it’s a beautiful day.
It is generally called “National Youth Service Corps”, a scheme created to promote peace and interrelation amongst tribes, cultures and regions in Nigeria. But I call it the National Year of Self realization. It is true that the generally accepted NYSC was created to promote peace, but I believe it is also a time for the graduate to plan his life after school.

The NYSC service year is filled with lots of fun and adventure, and many get carried away by these. They get carried away by the very pretty ladies; the cool handsome guys; the freedom and fun. They fail to realize that NYSC is just a very tiny phase of their life that will pass just like the 4, 5 or 6 years in the university passed away.

They fail to think on their lives outside service- they fail to provide answer to the question, “what next after service?” Only a few are able to think, ponder and plan a life after NYSC.

The many who fail to utilize this period of Self realization, come to this understanding weeks before their POP. They come face-to-face with the very bold question ‘what next’? Then the fear of uncertainty steps in. Their anxiety and fear increases as each day leads closer to the POP.
Then the POP eventually comes!

They are then released into the labour market without plans and strategy. And since our education system is built to produce job seekers, they join the already overcrowded unemployment queue. Frustration then sets in after submitting CVs to countless number of organizations.

The fact remains that the Nigerian labour or “favour market” as many graduates call it, can hardly accommodate ten percent of the products that leave the school system every year. It is also true that millions of graduates are roaming the streets jobless, and the government cannot employ everyone. This is very unfortunate and disturbing for graduates.

According to a 2016 survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), unemployment in the country as at September 2016 stood at 31 million. This means that 31 million Nigerians are officially jobless. And according to the same survey, 1.7 million Nigerians became jobless between January and September 2016. Going further, the report showed that within the same period, 3.7 million Nigerians entered the labour force with only 422,135 jobs created in the country within this period (January – September 2016), thereby giving a shortfall of 3.2 million jobs.

In a recent report by the NBS, the unemployment rate at the end of 2016 was 28.58 million. This means that 28.58 million Nigerians are already on the unemployment queue in an attempt to enter the favour market.

But this is not to scare you, there is still a solution. The solution lies within you. You’ve got to look deep on your inside and discover or re-discover yourself, because many times what you studied in school is different from what you can do.

For instance, I studied Chemistry in the university, but I can’t remember if I have ever done anything chemistry related or made money with it since I left school. Now I run a Digital Marketing Agency where I help business owners grow their businesses using the internet, content and digital technology, and i also teach people how to start an Online business.

Jason Njoku, the Founder of iROKO TV and ROK studios also studied chemistry in school (what is it with chemistry sef) but today he is a technology entrepreneur.

So you see, what you studied in school could be different from what you will end up doing, so don’t be too attached to that certificate. Your focus should be on ensuring you don’t add yourself to the 28.58 million Nigerians on the unemployment queue. That queue is just too long!
Start something for yourself. Go learn a skill and turn it into a career or business. That’s the way forward in today’s economy. And you’ve got all the tools you need – the internet, digital technology and social media.

Once again, Congratulations on the successful completion of your service year.

-Donald Yusuf

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NYSC as a service year has different meanings to different individuals. It is considered to be a year of catching fun (flexing), developing human resources, applying for jobs, networking, earning income, preparing for professional exams etc. Enterprising ones use the service year to plan for life after service.
Many do come up with brilliant business ideas that they hope to implement after the service year. However, a major challenge is having the ability to put down such business ideas in writing/typing as a business plan or feasibility report for easier financing. Sometimes due to this challenge, the wonderful ideas are tossed aside or if implemented, may not survive it's first five years from inception.
It is no news that most investors or financiers demand for a business plan or feasibility report to ascertain that such business ideas are technically feasible, economically viable and socially acceptable.
1. Do you need a bankable business plan/feasibility report for your business ideas?
2. Do you desire joining a network of entrepreneurs on whatsapp for 2 weeks intensive sessions on agribusiness management?
Send us a text using your whatsapp contact to the phone number on my signature.