Peter Obi Responds to Nigeria’s Youth Unemployment Crisis

Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has expressed concern over a recent ActionAid/Plan International report revealing that over 80 million Nigerian youths are unemployed. In a post on his verified X handle on Tuesday, Obi described the findings as a reflection of the nation’s leadership failures and economic mismanagement.

Obi noted that Nigeria leads the world in the absolute number of unemployed youths, a figure far exceeding South Africa’s 6 million unemployed youths despite a comparable youth unemployment rate. He argued that the crisis is a result of political greed and mismanagement rather than a “youth problem.”

Highlighting Nigeria’s large youth population—about 75% under 35—Obi emphasized that joblessness at this scale should be treated as a national emergency. He criticized leaders for prioritizing wasteful spending, corruption, unproductive borrowing, and policies that limit opportunities, instead of investing in youths and supporting MSMEs to drive growth and employment.

Obi called for intentional leadership focused on creating jobs through production, prudent governance, transparency, and people-centered policies. He urged Nigerian youths to actively participate in electing leaders who prioritize their welfare, stressing that the country deserves competent, credible, and compassionate leadership that empowers young Nigerians.

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