The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)
has revealed today that more then 50 per
cent of young Nigerians were unemployed
in 2012.

The official data, which is contained in
the 2012 National Baseline Youth Survey
Report issued by the NBS and the Federal
Ministry of Youths Development, is the
most recent research on the Nigerian
youth by the government statistics
agency.

According to the survey, the population
of youth aged between 15 and 35 years in
Nigeria is estimated to be 64 million,
while females are more than males in all
age groups.

"about 54 percent of youth population
were unemployed," says the report.

Slightly more than half of these jobless
people were females.

The high unemployment rates among the
young people means that they cannot
attain their full potential, the report
warns.



As to the crime rates, out of 46,836
youth recorded against different types
of crimes 75.5 per cent were males,
while the remaining 24.5 per cent were
females, the report said.

"Among the 32 different crimes
committed, Marijuana (Indian hemp)
smoking has the highest figure,
representing 15.7 per cent. "This was
followed by theft and murder with 8.1
and 7.4 per cent, respectively. The
least committed crime was
Immigration/Emigration representing 0.04
per cent," the report reads in parts.

When comes to the marriage, the report
revealed that out of the group of young
married people, 68 per cent were
females, while only 32 per cent - males.
The rate of divorce and widowhood
follows similar pattern and is high
among the female with 70.9 and 71.8 per
cent.
The study was aimed at generating
empirical data to inform policy
decisions made by the by the Federal
Ministry of Youths Development and other
partners in the country. It also aimed
at providing government and other
stakeholders with the data that would
assist in increasing employability of
the young people.