The staggering figures behind the rate of poverty and unemployment in Nigeria

5.66milion Nigerian graduates or 5.66% of the total population are roaming about unemployed.
The figure could hit 10 million by the year 2002(which obviously is the case today)
As at January 2000, 18.8% of Nigerians were unemployed according to the statistics released by the Nigerian manpower Board.
That the following holds true for the 8 main metropolitan (Lagos, Ibadan, Kano, PortHacourt, Abuja, Aba, Jos, Maiduguri):
     OND holders topped the list of unemployed people.
     Secondary school leavers-53.9% of total jobless population.
     University degree holders-21.2%, 
     HND holders-21.3%
     University Postgraduate Diploma- 18.9%
     The colleges of education, NCE awardees- 18.9%
That only about 3 million people out of estimated 22 million in the school system enters the labour market annually.
The labour market can hardly absorb 10% of the entire school output.
That according to CBN annual report for 1998, out of 81,239 unemployed lower grade workers made up of youths who registered with employment exchange offices across the country, only 3,323 applicants were offered jobs.
The case study witnessed by the minister of Labour, employment and productivity is more significant when a vacant advertisement was put out in his office. This is what he said: “In my office 7,500 persons applied for a vacant advert needing 20 people. All the 7,500 workers were qualified”.
As released by the federal office of statistics and published in various editions of CBN report:
In 1993- composite unemployment was 3.4%
In 1994- It moved down to 2.7%
1n 1995-It was 1.8%
In 1996- Worsened to 3.4%
In 1997- Out of 3,694 vacancies advertised for professional and executive jobs only 70 were actually filled.
The ratio of places to total regular unemployed- 0.2%
The crux of the matter remains the 18.8 million or 18.8 unemployed youths roaming about as the figure is increasing on daily basis.
(Statistical facts from: Be Your Own Boss by JOE. C. DAVID)

[b]Election 2007: It is high time the citizens of this country took the future of our country, and generations yet unborn very serious. The above statistics is to help us to understand some of the qualities and the vision which whoever is going to become a public position holder in this country must posses. As long as a higher % of the youths and the middle class of this nation remain jobless, then the state of this potentially blessed nation will continue to deteriorate and the future Jeopardised. Please let us stop believing our votes don’t count, let us stop voting for personal interests, lets us stop all tribal voting, let us stop selling the future of this country by selling our votes. Let us vote credible people that have visions and what it takes to address the major problems of this nation. Let us vote people that we know are ready to serve and not people that are ready to oppress, dictate and embezzle. Yes we have lots of presidential candidates for the coming election but a very few of them know what it it takes to serve.
Make sure you vote and Vote for servant leaders.
The future of this country is in your hand.
God Bless Nigeria. –[/b]