  Youth unemployment is a major socioeconomic problem in Nigeria, and several
youth-employment programs have been initiated and implemented to address the
challenge. While detailed analyses of the impacts of some of these programs
have been conducted, empirical analysis of implementation challenges and of the
influence of limited political inclusivity on distribution of program benefits
is rare. Using mixed research methods and primary data collected through
focus-group discussion and key-informant interviews, this paper turns to that
analysis. We found that, although there are several youth-employment programs
in Nigeria, they have not yielded a marked reduction in youth-unemployment
rates. The programs are challenged by factors such as lack of framework for
proper governance and coordination, inadequate funding, lack of institutional
implementation capacity, inadequate oversight of implementation, limited
political inclusivity, lack of prioritization of vulnerable and marginalized
groups, and focus on stand-alone programs that are not tied to long-term
development plans. These issues need to be addressed to ensure that
youth-employment programs yield better outcomes and that youth unemployment is
significantly reduced.
