Former presidential candidate reacts to alarming ActionAid report
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has described the recent report by ActionAid and Plan International, which places Nigeria’s youth unemployment rate at a staggering 80 per cent, as a severe indictment of the country’s leadership and economic direction.
In a statement released on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, Obi lamented that the figure translates to over 80 million young Nigerians without productive engagement.
Obi argued that a crisis of this magnitude is not merely a “youth problem” but a direct consequence of a failed leadership structure that prioritizes wasteful spending and corruption over human capital development. He emphasized that in a country where approximately 75 per cent of the population is under the age of 35, such high joblessness should be treated as a national emergency.
Staggering comparison with other African nations
To illustrate the severity of the crisis, Obi compared Nigeria’s statistics with those of South Africa, which has historically struggled with high joblessness. He noted that while South Africa’s youth unemployment rate is around 60 per cent, it translates to roughly 6 million unemployed individuals. In contrast, Nigeria’s absolute number of 80 million unemployed youths is more than ten times higher, a gap he attributed to the sheer scale of Nigeria’s population and the lack of intentional job creation.
The former Anambra State governor accused the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of failing to treat the youth as the nation’s most productive assets. He contended that instead of fostering an environment where Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) can thrive and create jobs, current policies are expanding poverty and shrinking opportunities.
Call for a shift from consumption to production
Obi reiterated his long-standing economic philosophy, calling for an urgent transition from a consumption-driven economy to one focused on production. He argued that Nigeria does not lack resourceful or entrepreneurial youths; rather, it lacks leaders who are intentional about creating the infrastructure and opportunities for them to succeed.
He identified unproductive borrowing and a lack of transparency in government agreements—such as the recently questioned tax administration MOU with France—as symptoms of a leadership that is disconnected from the needs of the people. According to Obi, job creation can only come from a government that is prudent, transparent, and people-centered.
Security implications of mass joblessness
The Labour Party leader also linked the high unemployment rate to the persistent insecurity and social vices currently plaguing the country. He warned that when millions of young people are trapped in frustration and uncertainty, they become easy tools for criminal elements. He argued that addressing the economic root causes of unrest is a far more effective security strategy than military intervention alone.
Obi urged the Nigerian youth to remain involved in the political process and ensure they elect leaders who have their best interests at heart. He maintained that a “New Nigeria” is possible only with competent and compassionate leadership that views the youth as the engine of national growth rather than a demographic burden.
Nigeria’s path forward: Prudence and investment
As the country navigates significant economic strain, Obi suggested that policy attention should immediately focus on simplifying taxes, closing revenue leakages, and using public resources prudently to support the private sector. He maintained that without deliberate investments in education, healthcare, and job creation, the country risks losing its most valuable talent base to the ongoing “Japa” syndrome (brain drain).
The statement concludes with a call for accountability, insisting that the government must be more open with its agreements and rationales. Obi believes that restoring public confidence through transparency is essential for any reform effort to be successful.
