Four out of every 10 people in the country's workforce are either unemployed or underemployed.

There has been one single promise that has dominated the election manifestos of Nigeria's presidential candidates as they seek to lure the support of the country's voters ahead of polls in February: jobs, jobs and more jobs.

This has also been the one issue that has consumed Immaculate Uba, who lost her bank job two years ago.

"It has been a horrible experience I never expected in my life - knowing fully well that you are willing and able to work but can't secure a job," she told Al Jazeera in Nigeria's capital, Abuja.

"I am still searching for a paid job," she says. In the meantime, she adds, she's trying to make a living by doing bead- and shoe-making work.

Shrinking opportunities
Four out of every 10 people in the country's workforce are either unemployed or underemployed.

The unemployment rate stood at 18.8 percent in the third quarter of 2017, with underemployment at 21.2 percent.

The National Bureau of Statistics has not released new jobs data since last year, prompting accusations by critics that this is due to political reasons.

Meanwhile, a number of companies have exited Nigeria in recent months - the latest being global banking giants HSBC and UBS.

South African casino and hotel operator, Sun International, is also close to shutting operations after its earnings were "hurt by subdued growth and one-off costs", the company said.

Analysts have blamed the exits on shaky investor confidence, dealing a big blow to foreign direct investment and jobs in Africa's most populous nation.

"Nigeria's unemployment level is beyond crisis levels, and ought to be the government's top concern as it has social implications," Cheta Nwanze, head of research at Lagos-based SBM Intelligence, told Al Jazeera, describing the joblessness figures as "unsustainable".

Amid this environment, thousands of young Nigerians are seeing the prospects of landing their dream job fade.

"I had hopes of a very bright career after graduating from university," says Agnes Uzoigwe attention, a 28-year-old who took her geology degree six years ago.

"I looked forward to a job with an oil company in the Niger Delta area but after almost four years of applying for different roles, I got frustrated," she adds, fighting back tears.

"The most annoying thing is that it looks like there's no hope. Those employed by companies are being sacked and people like me with no job experience can't even imagine getting any job," she adds.

Uzoigwe's father, who funded her studies, recently retired as a government employee and is relying on his pension to cater for his family of seven.

After a long period of searching for a job in Abuja, Uzoigwe has now taken up a job as a teacher in a private college. But she says her wage is barely enough to take care of her basic needs.

'Frustrated people will eventually turn to demagogues'
Nigeria is Africa's biggest economy, yet this that has not translated to jobs for many.

Frustrated and desperate, many job seekers have often fallen victim to fake hiring firms which cash in on their need to get a job.

These companies advertise positions with attractive offers, but end up swindling job seekers who are asked to pay "registration and logistics" fees before landing a job.

"With the school system adding roughly a million people a year to the workforce, and a very high birth rate, this represents Nigeria's biggest challenge," Nwanze, the analyst, says.

"Frustrated people will eventually turn to demagogues for their daily bread," he adds.

Political arena
The country's worsening unemployment situation has negatively affected the government's image.

President Muhammadu Buhari won the 2015 elections on the back of a campaign vowing to fix the nation's economy, but has struggled to fix the worsening economic crisis.

Now, ahead of the February elections, he is promising to generate more employment.

"The next level of effort focuses on job creation across various sectors," Buhari said in his election campaign's policy document.

"From an enlargement of the N-Power programme [government loan scheme for young graduates] to investing in technology and creative sector jobs to agriculture and revolutionising access to credit for entrepreneurs and artisans, there is scope for over 15 million new jobs."

His main challenger for the presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, has attacked the government's job creation record since Buhari assumed office four years.

"Close to 16 million people are unemployed, nine million more than in 2014," Abubakar said in his own campaign document.

Abubakar has promised to remedy this with "the creation of up to three million self- and wage-paying employment opportunities in the private sector annually".

Iniobong Paul, a hotelier who lost her job two years ago, told Al Jazeera she hopes that the political promises will be realised after the elections.

"It's not been easy," she says, adding that she looks forward to working again.

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2018/11/feels-hope-nigeria-worsening-job-crisis-181127193954772.html?

Npower
Tradermoni
CCT
Sharing Abacha Loot

Anybody expecting a dullard like Buhari to create jobs is mad

MeanChris:
Npower
Tradermoni
CCT
Sharing Abacha Loot

... and school feeding program
Aljhazeera is IPOB

So true

There's so much hope, but just not with the Lifeless terrorist in charge. Nigerians must wake up and smell the coffee.

Imagine, person go manage get job invites but the salaries na ₦15k.e go be like say make person insult the interviewer.But,how man go do than to dey while the time and still dey hunt for a good paid job that is not available except by connection or if person be Fulani man.

Buhari really failed Nigerians

Lets try another candidate .

"The next level of effort focuses on job creation across various sectors," Buhari said in his election campaign's policy document.

"From an enlargement of the N-Power programme [government loan scheme for young graduates] to investing in technology and creative sector jobs to agriculture and revolutionising access to credit for entrepreneurs and artisans, there is scope for over 15 million new jobs."



we know the future will be better than today. Only bastards and devil worshippers will believe a gay thief and his effeminate unrepentant liar running mate will give them jobs. It is clear 16 years of PDP created no way of solving Nigeria economic problems only looting and sharing $2 billion shamelessly.

All the Ipob people quoted should seek job in Jerusalem since that is where their rod and slavior resides.

Buhari have used his smelling body odour to chase out investors thereby causing more hardship with zombies claiming it as an achievement.

A vote for buhari is a vote for next level of Hopelessness.

Gradually d international communities are giving their verdict and I must confess d country as currently run is irredeemable except something urgent happens. Buhari in saner climes ought to voluntarily hand over d leadership baton to someone else but no d Nigerian sit tight syndrome will never allow them to do so. All indices of evaluating governance are in d red and one only wonders what their next level portends. The reality of the Next Level mantra becomes more scary when u access what d current level. Since d current level is filled with hardship n pains, it inadvertently means that d Next Level will be a higher level of hardship and pains.

Aljazeera is Now IPOB

Stalwert:
[s]"The next level of effort focuses on job creation across various sectors," Buhari said in his election campaign's policy document.

"From an enlargement of the N-Power programme [government loan scheme for young graduates] to investing in technology and creative sector jobs to agriculture and revolutionising access to credit for entrepreneurs and artisans, there is scope for over 15 million new jobs."



we know the future will be better than today. Only bastards and devil worshippers will believe a gay thief and his effeminate unrepentant liar running mate will give them jobs. It is clear 16 years of PDP created no way of solving Nigeria economic problems only looting and sharing $2 billion shamelessly.

All the Ipob people quoted should seek job in Jerusalem since that is where their rod and slavior resides. [/s]

Nigerians are not fools

APC fooled us all with their fake and stupid promises in 2015, they won't fool us again because we are wiser now .

Buhari don't deserve a second term , he has to go because the hardship Nigerians go through everyday is just too much .

Enough is enough .

Stalwert:
"The next level of effort focuses on job creation across various sectors," Buhari said in his election campaign's policy document.

"From an enlargement of the N-Power programme [government loan scheme for young graduates] to investing in technology and creative sector jobs to agriculture and revolutionising access to credit for entrepreneurs and artisans, there is scope for over 15 million new jobs."



we know the future will be better than today. Only bastards and devil worshippers will believe a gay thief and his effeminate unrepentant liar running mate will give them jobs. It is clear 16 years of PDP created no way of solving Nigeria economic problems only looting and sharing $2 billion shamelessly.

All the Ipob people quoted should seek job in Jerusalem since that is where their rod and slavior resides.

I hope you or one of your family is benefiting from Npower job? And I hope you will be part of the 15 million masquerade dressing jobs?

Stalwert:
[s][/s]

Sorry you fooled yourself. PMB till 2023 if you like am jump front of moving trailer and complain. nanesense

In your dreams

A failure is a failure
Never re-enforce failure

Buhari is a failure and a jihadist
We reject total Islamization of Nigeria .

[s]

NaijaRoyelty:


In your dreams

A failure is a failure
Never re-enforce failure

Buhari is a failure and a jihadist
We reject total Islamization of Nigeria .

[/s]


But accept gaylization of Nigeria? buhahaha please gatikulate in pieace then Obituarate after that and keep alternating in the 2 till you realize you face another 4 years of being an unreasonable ipob on nairaland always envying those better than you

hmm...


the problem is endemic & transcends party affiliations...


yes, PMB might have exacerbated the problem, but if population growth is not checked, we would just be threading water at best.


furthermore, a cursory look at majority of citizens between ages 16-45 clearly shows that they are more comfortable seeking to become rich through crooked means than actually trying to make a living through legitimate means.


it is often easy to blame the govt for not providing an enabling environment (light, security etc), but how many Nigerians are even ready to do the right thing in the first instance?

[s]

gurunlocker:


I hope you or one of your family is benefiting from Npower job? And I hope you will be part of the 15 million masquerade dressing jobs?

[/s]


Oga ask gaytiku for klum instead of making drunken like comments here.

Stalwert:
[s][/s]


But accept gaylization of Nigeria? buhahaha please gatikulate in pieace then Obituarate after that and keep alternating in the 2 till you realize you face another 4 years of being an unreasonable ipob on nairaland always envying those better than you

So you're better than me because you earn N30k monthly for all the insults you receive everyday on nairaland for supporting the lifeless one abi?

Stalwert:
[s][/s]


Oga ask gaytiku for klum instead of making drunken like comments here.

Have you asked your master why there's increase in unemployed youths? Or Al Jazeera is also an IPOB paper like buhari slave always say?

WTF is Klum? You a dunce slave like your master?

[s]

NaijaRoyelty:


So you're better than me because you earn N30k monthly for all the insults you receive everyday on nairaland for supporting the lifeless one abi?

[/s]

My housemaid is better than you because she has not loose hope in her self earning capacity something gaytikukators who suckle gaytiku for recharge cards don't have, hope and confidence in herself

Stalwert:
[s][/s]

My housemaid is better than you because she has not loose hope in her self earning capacity something gaytikukators who suckle gaytiku for recharge cards don't have, hope and confidence in herself

Why would you call your wife your house maid

What kind of irresponsible man are you ?

[s]

gurunlocker:


Have you asked your master why there's increase in unemployed youths? Or Al Jazeera is also an IPOB paper like buhari slave always say?

WTF is Klum? You a dunce slave like your master?

[/s]

ask gaytiku who is kluming figures from putrid smelly anus what klum is and you will notice it is harebrained ipob goons that were interviewed. gaytiku slave

NaijaRoyelty:


Why would you call my mother your house maid

What kind of irresponsible man are you ?

I never claimed I hired her, read well.

Stalwert:


I never claimed I hired her, read well.

I'm done with you