By Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko
One fact about government of today is that the welfare and wellbeing of the majority of the citizens, are not the centrepieces of policy making and implementation.
Many of the citizens of Nigeria are in poverty to an extent that Nigeria has continued to dominate the news from the negative perspectives.
There is growing hopelessness amongst the clear majority of citizens because of the basic fact that the costs of living crisis has become hydraheaded and for most households, survivability amidst scarcity of financial resources coupled with the grossly unequal redistribution of national wealth , has become empirically difficult. Corruption and misuse of financial resources generated from the abundant mineral resources and from revenues generated from businesses as taxation by government officials, have become the bottlenecks for the progressive economic growth and advancements of most citizens. The institutions that should check these excesses and ensure that resources are equitably redistributed such as the National, State Assemblies and the anti-corruption agencies are captured by the executive arm of government at every levels such as the state abd the federal government. States governed by members of the ruling party at the centre are the most corrupt entities because of the perception that once you are a member of the party of the president who controls the executive federal agencies including the EFCC, ICPC and police, you would enjoy some presidential immunities from serious investigations of your financial dealings.
Life for most Nigerians is short, brutish, miserable and uninteresting. It is as if the majority of the citizens are back to the state of nature as described by Thomas Hobbes the English philosopher. What makes the situation of most Nigerians very disturbing is that the majority live as though they are back in the state of nature but the state of nature is what obtains when there is no government in the contemplation of Thomas Hobbes. So, if the majority of citizens of Nigeria have been pushed back due to bad governance, then this is very serious. But this is just the situation.
The fact is that most Youths are in destitution and hunger has become very massive. So, this is when the sermons of the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV when he visited Africa makes a lot of meaning. The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV visited Africa for ten days. He made stops at four nations including Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea. In Cameroon, Pope Leo XIV used a Mass attended by more than 100,000 people in Cameroon to openly criticize the uneven distribution of wealth. Speaking in the port city of Douala, Cameroon’s financial and economic hub, he said that despite the richness of the land in Cameroon, which is a young country and one-third Catholic, many experience both material and spiritual poverty.
The Vatican quoted local organizers’ estimates that about 120,000 attended the Mass, expected to be one of the largest turnouts during his 11-day, four-nation Africa trip. Pope Leo has not shied away from direct challenges to authority on the trip, earlier this week railing against corruption in the presence of President Paul Biya, who has been in power for more than 40 years. “In order for peace and justice to prevail, the chains of corruption — which disfigure authority and strip it of its credibility — must be broken,” he had said Wednesday, adding that hearts must be set free from “the idolatry of self and money.” In Douala penultimate Friday, the big field in front of the Japoma Stadium was bursting with people singing, swaying and dancing as an announcer shouted “Habemus Papam!” (We have a pope!). The Latin phrase is used to announce the election of a new pope but in this case joyfully announced Leo’s arrival at the field.
The crowd cheered when Leo emerged in his open-sided popemobile, with waves of young people running alongside him trying to keep up as he looped through the crowd. Some had spent the night on the ground, battling mosquitoes, to be in place for the late morning Mass, but said they were willing to make the sacrifice for the pope. “I wanted to offer this effort to the pope, to show him that what he is doing and what he wants to accomplish should truly come to life,” said Alex Nzumo, who arrived at the Mass on crutches. In his homily, delivered in French and English, Leo cited the biblical story of Jesus’ multiplication of loaves in urging young people to “multiply your talents through the faith, perseverance and friendship.” “Be the first faces and hands that bring the bread of life to your neighbors, providing them with the food of wisdom and deliverance from all that does not nourish them, but rather obscures good desires and robs them of their dignity,” he said. Leo urged them to look beyond the poverty and disillusionment many experience and instead look to the future with hope. “Do not give in to distrust and discouragement,” he said. “Do not forget that your people are even richer than this land, for your treasure lies in your values: faith, family, hospitality and work.” “Do not let yourselves be corrupted by temptations that waste your energies and do not serve the progress of society,” the pontiff said. Later, same penultimate Friday back in the capital, Youande, Leo had an appointment with students, professors and administrators at the Catholic University of Central Africa. With a population of 29 million, Cameroon is an overwhelmingly young country, where the median age is 18. Catholics represent about 29% of the population, and the country is a major source of growth and priestly vocations for the church. Despite being an oil-producing country experiencing modest economic growth, young people say the benefits have not trickled down beyond the elites. “Of course, when unemployment and social exclusion persist, frustration can lead to violence,” Leo warned in his opening address to Biya and government authorities earlier this week. “Investing in the education, training and entrepreneurship of young people is, therefore, a strategic choice for peace. It is the only way to curb the outflow of wonderful talent to other parts of the world.”
The statement by the Supreme Pontiff is so true about the situations in most African countries but what is disturbingly unique about the Nigerian situation is that bad governance, corruption and lack of accountability and transparency, have all but combined to deprive the majority of the citizens of the benefits that ought to accrue from the enormous mineral and solid mineral resources that are abundant all over Nigeria.
The gap between the haves and the haves-not, has widened. Majority of Nigerians are simply living a life that can at best be described as the situation of the WRETCHED OF THE EARTH as discussed by Frantz Fanon in his book with the same title.
Let’s look at the situation in some neighbouring African states then we move down to the Nigerian situation. According to World Bank data, the unemployment rate in Cameroon stands at 3.5%, but 57% of the labor force ages 18 to 35 works in informal employment.
The dire economic outlook in Cameroon has led to significant brain drain and has strained an already understaffed health sector, as many doctors and nurses are leaving the country for more lucrative jobs in Europe and North America.
In 2023, about a third of doctors who graduated from medical school in Cameroon left the country, according to the Higher Education Ministry.
Growing frustration over Biya’s record and long-term rule intensified during October’s tense presidential election, in which he secured an eighth consecutive term.
When Cameroon’s main opposition candidate, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, contested the result of the poll, deadly protests erupted throughout the country. Human rights monitors said that dozens were killed.
So what is the state of the economy in Nigeria vis-a-vis the existential state of most citizens?
The World Bank doesn’t publish a state-by-state poverty breakdown for Nigeria like NBS does. But the following are facts about the massive poverty situation in Nigeria.
*What World Bank data DOES show for Nigeria:*
1. *National poverty 2025*: 61-63% of Nigerians = *139-140 million people* live in poverty, using $2.15/day or $3/day thresholds
2. *Rural vs Urban*: Rural poverty = *75.5%* vs Urban = *41.3%*
3. *North vs South*: In 2018/19 data, poverty in northern geopolitical zones was *46.5%* compared to *13.5%* for southern zones
4. *Trend*: Rose from 40% in 2018 to 46% in 2023 = 104M people, now 61-63% in 2025 = 139-140M people
The World Bank’s Nigeria data relies on NBS surveys. The most recent detailed survey NBS did was the *2022 MPI*, which is why state-level numbers all come from NBS 2022, not World Bank. World Bank’s 2025 Poverty & Equity Brief uses those same surveys but only reports national, rural/urban, and north/south splits.
They also note coverage for Sub-Saharan Africa after 2019 is limited due to unavailability of recent Nigeria data. How to know how many deprived citizens that there are in a society the clearest evidence is to know how many of the children have the opportunities to attend schools.
Nigeria has *18.3 million out-of-school children* — highest globally.
*UNICEF 2024:* 10.2M primary age + 8.1M junior secondary age = 18.3M total.
*State with highest number:* *Kano State* — ∼989,234 children. 045b
*Highest %:* *Kebbi State* — 67.6% of kids aged 6–15 are out of school, followed by Sokoto 66.4% and Yobe 62.9%. fd3c
In the Northeast, *2 million children* are out of school due to conflict/displacement.Nigeria has *18.3 million out-of-school children* — highest globally.
*UNICEF 2024:* 10.2M primary age + 8.1M junior secondary age = 18.3M total.
*State with highest number:* *Kano State* — ∼989,234 children. 045b
*Highest %:* *Kebbi State* — 67.6% of kids aged 6–15 are out of school, followed by Sokoto 66.4% and Yobe 62.9%. fd3c
In the Northeast, *2 million children* are out of school due to conflict/displacement. Let is look at the unemployment rate in Nigeria.
Nigeria Youth Unemployment: 2026 Outlook
Briefing for Leadership | 27 April 2026
Nigeria’s headline youth unemployment is projected at 6.7% in 2026, but 93% informality and 3-4M new job seekers yearly mean _quality jobs_ are the real gap. Key 2026 levers: Tech training, agribusiness standards, TVET apprenticeships, MSME funding.
1. Key Numbers: 2024–2026
| Indicator | Rate | Period | Source |
| Youth Unemployment | 6.5% | Q2 2024 | National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) |
| Youth Unemployment Projection | 6.7% | 2026 | Trading Economics |
| Peak Youth Unemployment | 53.4% | Q4 2020 | NBS |
| Informal Employment | 93% | 2024 | NBS |
| Youths Actively Seeking Work | ~23% | 2026 | BusinessDay survey data |
_Note: NBS = National Bureau of Statistics. Current method counts 1+ hour/week as “employed”._
2. The Real Picture Behind the 6.7%
– Scale challenge:3-4 million youth enter the labour market annually. Median age: 19.
– Quality gap: International Labour Organization (ILO) flags that grads have “theoretical knowledge but lack practical industry-related competencies.”
– Underemployment:NBS still records combined unemployment + underemployment above 40% for youth.
3. 2026 Solutions by Sector
– Tech / Digital Economy:3MTT = 3 Million Technical Talent initiative training 3M Nigerians by 2025/2026. Remote work via Upwork/Fiverr growing.
– Agriculture / Agribusiness
– UNESCO = United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization + NBTE = National Board for Technical Education are validating new National Occupational Standards for food processing and agro-logistics.
– Vocational / Technical Training (TVET): ILO-backed apprenticeships linking polytechnics to companies. High-pay trades: welding, solar installation.
– Micro-entrepreneurship: QNET pushing ethical direct selling. Govt MSME = Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises loans ₦100k-₦500k.
4. Key 2026 Dates & Programs
– March 6, 2026: National Unemployed Youths Day declared by (SWUYN ) Society for Welfare of Unemployed Youths of Nigeria. 3-day event in Delta State with job fairs. (Sources:NBS, Trading Economics, ILO, UNESCO, NBTE, BusinessDay NG.).
From the above statistics, there is no doubt to state that majority of the citizens of Nigeria are actually FORGOTTEN by this government. This is why the coming election should be a time to vote for only persons with the passion to serve selflessly and to do anything they can to ameliorate the economic situations and hardships, make the National economy to work for all citizens and for the leaders to be made accountable and transparent as a matter of their constitutional responsibility and obligations.
Dear Nigerians, SHINE YOUR EYES as you prepare to vote in January 2027. Do not sale your votes to thieves. Exercise your franchise in line with your good conscience.
*EMMANUEL NNADOZIE ONWUBIKO is the founder of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA), and erstwhile NATIONAL COMMISSIONER of the NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF NIGERIA.
