The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) today commenced the dissemination of key findings of a study it undertook recently on ‘Identifying Pathways to Youth Employment in the Niger Delta: An Analysis of Abia, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States’. To seek innovative ways of addressing the growing rate of youth unemployment and underemployment in the Niger Delta, PIND, with funding provided for the project by the Ford Foundation, had together with its technical partner, Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI), carried out the study between September 2017 and February 2018 to inform the design of its new project, the Niger Delta Youth Employment Pathways (NDYEP) project. Key findings from the study are being disseminated to stakeholders from government, academia, private sector players in agriculture, construction, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), renewable energy, and hospitality in three workshops holding in Umuahia (Abia State), Uyo (Akwa Ibom State) and Port Harcourt (Rivers State) on June 11 – 13, 2018.
PIND is implementing the NDYEP project in three (3) pilot states; Abia, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States, with the goal to map the ecosystem of skills development, analyze opportunities for employment creation and to develop models of youth job-readiness or workforce development. These are to provide young men and women in the Niger Delta the opportunity to either commence business enterprises or secure sustainable jobs through quality training that prepares them with market-relevant skills. Target sectors include agriculture, ICT and construction.
PIND’s study included a labour market assessment in the pilot states to understand the growth of each industry (ICT, Agriculture, Construction); the impact of each sector’s growth on employment; and how a youth employment program could support and grow the labour force. This will help focus investments in critical economic sectors that support sustainable pathways for youth employment and active economic engagement.
In its initial findings, PIND indicated that stakeholder interviews and youth focus group meetings held so far suggest that residents of the three states are widening their ideas and perspectives on employment beyond seeking government or paid jobs. Technology entrepreneurship is increasingly perceived as a viable career pathway, and more people are venturing into entrepreneurial activities by creating micro and small enterprises. This dissemination workshop is therefore to share these results with critical stakeholders and policy makers, unveil interventions that the NDYEP project will implement for youth and engage with stakeholders to build a stronger ecosystem for youth development in each state.
In a statement by the NDYEP Project Manager, Emeka Ile: ‘Beyond fast-tracking development of the region, youth employment is also critically linked to de-escalation of conflict in the Niger Delta. We want to see more young people sustainably employed in the agricultural, construction and ICT sectors because there are so many untapped opportunities in these sectors that can rapidly turn around the narrative of the region.’
Besides NDYEP, the Foundation is already implementing interventions in the aquaculture, cassava and palm oil sectors and facilitating sustainable peace in the region.
