Investigating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) As a Tool for Strengthening Youth Employment in Nigeria

Abstract:

In this study, the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in advancing and expanding employment opportunities for young people in Nigeria is examined. Youth empowerment is a strategy used in many nations to equip young people with the skills needed for self employment and nation building. Graduates and young adults in Nigeria experience high rates of unemployment and underemployment, while poverty and criminality have also grown. The Federal Government of Nigeria, foreign organizations, and non governmental organizations have put in place certain youth empowerment projects to address the problem of unemployment in Nigeria. Despite efforts by the government and other organizations to help control this issue, it seems that these initiatives have not yet yielded the desired results. Youngsters have risen to the challenge of unemployment by working in a position made possible by the telecom industry. In order to play a role in employment development, the research examined the efficiency of these communication tools. Information about youth employment was gathered using a questionnaire. Giving young people access to ICT increases their job prospects. This study advises youth to actively commit to ICT possibilities and education and use the technology effectively for their own personal development, the development of their communities, and the overall growth of the country.

Keywords: ICT, Job creation, Unemployed youth, Youth employment