ILO Scales up Employment Creation Opportunities in Nigeria with the launch of NIYEAP

Press Release| 17th September 2021.

Abuja (ILO News): The Director of the ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone and Liaison Office for ECOWAS, Ms Vanessa Phala has called for the creation of decent work for young people in Nigeria in view of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. She stated this at the launch and presentation of Nigerian Youth Employment Action Plan (NIYEAP) on 14th September 2021. Commending the full cooperation and participation of all stakeholders in the process leading to the review and approval, Ms Phala acknowledged that NIYEAP was the appropriate step in the right direction. She further stated that addressing the youth employment challenge requires joined-up efforts by all relevant stakeholders including the private sector, social partners, and young people themselves.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, launched the revised Nigerian Youth Employment Action Plan (NIYEAP) for the period 2021 to 2024. In his remarks, he stated that the NIYEAP is an expression of the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria to facilitate an enabling environment for job creation for youth. He also noted that the revised NIYEAP aims to address the youth employment challenge in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.

On his part, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, represented by a Director in the Ministry, commended both the ILO and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development (FMYSD) on the revision of the action plan and expressed confidence in its ability to serve as a veritable instrument to address the increasing disparity between economic growth and the creation of decent and sustainable employment.

The Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in his speech, expressed the readiness of the agency to support the implementation of the policy. He highlighted the policy’s approach of promoting a coordinated response to the challenge of youth unemployment through the identification of priority areas for action and a well-designed framework for monitoring and evaluation of progress made over the target period of implementation as of particular interest to the agency.

The ECOWAS representative at the launch on his part, tasked FMYSD and other stakeholders with the responsibility of implementing the plan to work assiduously to pull resources together in ensuring effective implementation of the plan to enable it serve as a catalyst that will engender youth employment.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) commended the ILO, FMYSD and other stakeholders for placing emphasis on the four ‘Es’ of Entrepreneurship, Employability, Employment Creation and Equal Opportunities as the thrust of the policy. He expressed the confidence of the association on the potential of the policy to support efforts geared at provision of decent jobs for youths.

The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress on their parts, called for focused and accelerated implementation of the NIYEAP to ensure it serves as a tool for addressing youth unemployment in Nigeria.

As part of the activity of the day, the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development featured in a dialogue session along with Ms Adenike Adebayo-Ajala of NECA and youth representatives. The dialogue session afforded them the opportunity to examine the characteristics of a decent job, the advantages of technical and vocational education and training and the potential of the digital economy in Nigeria.

Responding to various questions from participants, the Hon. Minister reiterated the commitment of the ministry to pursue a broad and inclusive implementation of NIYEAP and to involve relevant stakeholders in the monitoring and evaluation of the policy.

On their part, the youth representative under the aegis of the Nigerian Youth SDGs Network called on all stakeholders’ to fast track the implementation of the policy and allow for close collaboration with youth networks in the implementation and monitoring and evaluation of the NIYEAP.

ABOUT NIYEAP

The ILO had previously provided technical and financial support to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development towards the development of first Nigerian Youth Employment Action Plan that was implemented between 2009- 2011. The overarching goal of the second NIYEAP policy document scheduled for implementation for the period 2021-2024 is to contribute to the achievement of decent, productive and freely chosen employment for young people by complementing and reinforcing existing policies and initiatives. Premised on the “Four Es” of Employability, Entrepreneurship, Employment and Equality and rights, the plan outlines a number of strategic lines of action focussing on sectors with job creation potential for young people. The NIYEAP also serves as a commitment under the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth [https://www.decentjobsforyouth.org/], a multi-stakeholder partnership to advance the implementation of youth-employment-related targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

[https://www.ilo.org/africa/countries-covered/nigeria/WCMS_819111/lang--en/index.htm]