Emergence of Unemployment: An Assessment of Nigeria Directorate of Employment (NDE) Skill Intervention Programmes between (2005-2011) in Lagos State

Abstract

Generation of productive and gainful employment with decent working conditions based on skill development to absorb our growing labour force has become a critical factor in the strategy for economic development in Nigeria. This demands that the government must respond through policy interventions in setting institutional framework that will be responsible for enhancing the skill of  products from different academia. Given the strategic position of Lagos State in Nigeria there is need to provide world-class vocational skills training and high quality technical education to Lagos unemployed youths . Young school leavers rush to Lagos in search of jobs. In other to achieve this target, the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and few other institutions were created. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between skill development and youth unemployment. In analyzing the relevance of NDE in the development of skill and creation of job in Lagos state between (2005-2011), this paper  observed that NDE has contributed significantly towards creating jobs for the unemployed  youths within their capacity. However, the slow pace of NDE in responding effectively to the rate of unemployment and in attaining the millennium development goal (MDGs) will be an uphill task. The government needs to improve on their investment, and develop more institutional capacity to tackle the issue of unemployment in the country. Beyond policy initiation, strategies must be put in place for adequate implementation of the scheme towards eradicating unemployment.

Keywords: Unemployment, Job creation, Skill  empowerment, National Directorate of Employment, Youths