The National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) recently trained youths on practical ways of making a living through horticulture via its Horticultural Academy for Youths (HAY). PAUL OMOROGBE writes about how this initiative by NIHORT worked out.
It is not news that unemployment in Nigeria is a huge challenge. Thousands of Nigerian youths are churned out as graduates from Nigeria’s higher institutions, both public and private, numbering up to 170.
In 2021, the estimated youth unemployment rate in Nigeria was almost 19.61 percent, according to data estimates from the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The recent hike in petrol prices has undoubtedly increased the stress and strain families with unemployed youths are experiencing.
As a way out, politicians have initiated countless ‘empowerment’ programs that include donations of sewing machines, grinding machines, and sometimes cash. It has been observed that these empowerment programs leave much to be desired in making youths self-sufficient.
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