Gyang Bere, Jos
Director General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Joseph Ari, yesterday, said that about 21.7 million youths in Nigeria were unemployed.
He disclosed this during the Industrial Training Fund and Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (ITF-NECA TSDP) stakeholders’ dialogue forum and outstanding trainees awards ceremony, held at the ITF headquarters Jos, Plateau state.
“Data from the National Bureau of Statistics reveals Nigeria’s unemployment rate as at second quarter of 2020 is 27.1, indicating that about 21.7 million Nigerians remain unemployed. The worst hit are youths between the ages of 15 to 24, which puts about 13.1 million Nigerians out of jobs and unemployed.
“Putting into context, the youth population is also about 64 per cent of the total unemployed Nigerians suggesting that the most agile working-class population in our country remains unemployed.”
He pleaded with Federal Government to support the agency in its drive for job creation, reduction of unemployment and poverty alleviation among indigents youths in the country.