SURVEY REPORT ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA YOUTH EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVES
Prepared by Federal Public Administration Reform Programme (FEPAR) October 14, 2015
Contents
Survey Report On The Federal Government Of Nigeria Youth Employment Initiatives 2015
1
Summary of Key Findings 3
Survey Highlights 4
Key Recommendations 5
Part One: Introduction
6
A. Background 8
B. Aim Of Exercise 8
C. Description Of Activity/Youth Surveyed 8
D. Methodology 8
Part Two: Key Findings
8
Access And Awareness 9
Corruption 10
Key Concerns Of Young People 11
Youth Assessment Of FGN Employment Initiatives 12
Part Three: Key Recommendations From The Youth
13
Youth Employment Schemes 2015 Survey (North Central) CORRUPTION
20% stated that youth in certain political parties benefitted
69% of youth surveyed had observed corruption in the implementation of these schemes
15% observed the payment of bribes by youth to access these schemes
50% +
Over half said that only youth related to public servants benefited from schemes
ACCESS AND AWARENESS
IMPACT OF JOB SCHEMES
37%
67%
did not participate because they were not aware of the schemes
found it difficult to access government youth employment schemes
(that have participated in the schemes)
50% reported the schemes having no impact on their incomes
WHAT ARE THE KEY CONCERNS OF YOUNG PEOPLE?
50% 55% 32% want government to provide loans to youth for business
observed an increase in their incomes
said they were overqualified in their current job
of underemployed youth were not satisfied with their current jobs
No. of people surveyed = 839 / Schemes assessed: SURE P, YOU WIN, NAPEP, YESSO, Others
82%
Survey Highlights
Corruption observed in the implementation of youth employment schemes Almost 70% (two thirds of the respondents) observed corruption in the implementation of youth employment schemes. Some had to pay bribes to access job schemes. There was a general perception amongst the youth that only those who were ‘politically connected’ or related to senior public servants benefitted from youth employment scheme. The youth perceive corruption as one of the key challenges facing youths in accessing jobs. They recommend the need to tackle corruption in order to make the FGN youth schemes work better.
69% of youth surveyed had observed corruption in the implementation of these schemes
FGN Youth Employment Schemes are difficult to access More than half of the youth found it difficult to access the FGN youth employment schemes. Lack of awareness was one of the reasons why many of the youth did not participate in FGN youth employment schemes. The youth surveyed suggested the need for government to increase awareness on job creation schemes through grassroots mobilisation.
Youth Employment Schemes have mixed impact on incomes Half of the respondents who had taken part in schemes stated that the FGN youth employment schemes had no impact on their incomes while another half said that it had a positive impact on their incomes
50%
50%
The youth are unhappy with their current occupation Eight-two per cent of youth underemployed are not satisfied with their current jobs. More than half stated that they were overqualified for their current jobs.
Nigerian youth want government support in creating employment opportunities for young people About one third of young people surveyed want government to support them with loans to start-up businesses. They also want government to support them with work tools and in educational/ skills development. In addition, they want government to build innovative centres for poor disabled young people.
Key Recommendations
1
Increase transparency in the implementation of youth employment schemes Youth employment schemes should be made more transparent. The selection criteria and process for recruiting candidates into the scheme should be made publicly available. This could be through the use of radio adverts, newspapers, community leaders, traditional leaders etc.
2 Enforce Merit based recruitment The recruitment of the youth to participate in these schemes should be merit based. Only candidates who meet a set of criteria and standards should be awarded jobs in the scheme.
3
Participatory approach in the design and implementation of the schemes A participatory approach should be adopted in the design and implementation of the scheme. This will entail involving both the youth in the target groups (potential beneficiaries) and appropriate private sector organisations in the design of the programmes to ensure that programmes/schemes designed are suited to their needs.
4 Target youth effectively There is a need to acknowledge the distinct needs and circumstances of different young people. The age groups, specific requirements and needs, and geographic origins should be taken into account in the design of youth employment initiatives. Youth employment programmes should be tailor made to suit the different needs and circumstances of youth, for example those in rural and urban areas. As another example, there can be a programme designed specifically for disabled young people or for youth in rural areas.
Design more sustainable youth employment pro5 grammes Young people wanted to see youth employment programmes that lead directly to the creation of jobs beyond the lifetime of the programmes. For example, this might mean providing conditional grants or loans for innovative business with a guarantee of employing a minimum number of young people e.g. the YOUWIN model.
6
Increase awareness on youth employment programmes Youth employment programmes should be well publicized to ensure that the targeted youth have access to information on these programmes, so that they can participate effectively. It is important to have an effective communication strategy to disseminate information on these programmes. There should be diverse ways of communicating with youth in both the rural and urban areas. In the rural areas, working with the traditional leaders, youth leaders or community leaders was thought to be effective.
7 Introduce anti-corruption measures Anti-corruption measures should be mainstreamed into youth employment programmes. Initiatives such as establishing anti-corruption hotlines and regular monitoring of the schemes by independent non-state actors to check corrupt practices should be included in the design of the programmes to reduce the incidence of corruption in this area. There should be a collaboration with anti-corruption agencies where necessary.
8 Improve monitoring and evaluation of youth employment programmes Youth employment schemes need to have strong monitoring and evaluation systems to track their progress and impact. Non-state actors should also be encouraged to monitor these schemes and feedback to government on findings. This will help in ensuring transparency and accountability in the implementation of the schemes. It will also improve the delivery of services in this area by identifying the weaknesses and gaps that need to be addressed. Apply evidence based approach in designing youth employment programmes. In designing youth employment programmes, it is important to adopt an evidence-based approach. There is a need to know what works in different situations and for different categories of youth, in order to effectively design youth employment programmes. This will help in creating more effective programmes that will have impact on the lives of the youth.
PART ONE: Introduction
A. Background Successive governments in Nigeria have implemented a range of youth employment initiatives as part of its measures to tackle youth unemployment. However, it is not clear what impact these initiatives have had in transforming the lives of youth in Nigeria. FEPAR aims to improve service delivery in selected sectors and FGN agencies. As a result, FEPAR conducted a pilot survey in selected North Central states to ascertain the views and experiences of youth in accessing youth employment initiatives in Nigeria. This beneficiary assessment will be part of FEPAR’s issues-based intervention on youth unemployment schemes, and will also inform the presentation for the upcoming DFID job creation event in November 2015.
B. Aim Of Exercise The aim of this exercise was to capture feedback from youth (beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries) in the North Central on selected Federal Government of Nigeria youth employment initiatives, with the view to improving service delivery in this area.
C. Description Of Activity/Youth Surveyed A participatory approach should be adopted in the design and implementation of the scheme. This will entail involving both the youth in the target groups (potential beneficiaries) and appropriate private sector organisations in the design of the programmes to ensure that programmes/schemes designed are suited to their needs.
Target youth effectively This report covers youth surveyed in the North Central (Benue, Niger, Nasarawa and FCT). The survey took place between August 12, 2015-August 27, 2015. 838 young people comprising of 579 men and 259 women were randomly selected and interviewed. Of the sample, 31 per cent of the surveyed youth were women. The youth surveyed were between the ages of 18 and 35. 54 per cent of the youth were ‘O’ level graduates. 96 per cent had vocational skills. 49 per cent of the youth surveyed were unemployed and 39 per cent were underemployed. Only 19 per cent of the youth sampled had benefitted from FGN youth employment schemes. The youth surveyed were those who benefitted, those who attempted to access the schemes and those who did not benefit from the schemes.
D. Methodology Two local government areas per state were purposively selected, particularly focusing on areas where there was a large youth community. In FCT, youth were randomly selected and consulted in two area councils. The feedback from the youth as captured through the following: • structured questionnaires; • focus group discussions; • case stories reflecting personal experiences of youth in accessing selected FGN youth employment schemes. Questionnaires were distributed to all youth in the sample. Translators transcribed the information from the questionnaires for those who could not read. The questionnaires were also delivered verbally where youth could not read. The questionnaires captured aspects of service delivery such as access to youth employment programmes, as well as the impact of any programme on their incomes. Corruption observations were also captured.
PART TWO: Key Findings
Access And Awareness The survey revealed that 67% of the surveyed youth found it difficult to access youth employment programmes while 33% found it easy.
Access To Youth Employment Programmes
67% 33%
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“You can only benefit from youth bodies or youth organisations if you are connected to the government” - John King James, Nyanya
87% of those surveyed had not benefitted from any FGN youth employment schemes. 49% of the youth said that they did not benefit because they did not know anyone in government. 37% said they were not aware of the schemes. However, 75% of the young people surveyed said that government publishes and shares information on these schemes while 25% said that government did not publish and share information on the schemes.
Reasons for not benefitting from YE schemes
Programmes not close to grassroot
0%
Don’t know
10%
Don’t know anyone in governmnet
49%
Not qualified
4%
Not aware
37% 0%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Corruption 69% of youth had observed corruption in the implementation of youth employment programmes. 20% of the youth further identified corruption as a key challenge facing young people in getting jobs.
Corruption observed in the implementation of youth employment schemes
69%
yes
31%
no
From the youth surveyed: 15% had paid bribes to access youth employment programmes; 53% said that only youth related to public servants benefitted; while 20% stated that only youth in particular political parties benefitted from the schemes.
Ghost workers: many selected but not working
1%
Know someone in the government
3%
Diversion of public funds
8%
Payment of bribes to access scheme
15%
Only youth related to public servants benefitted
53% 20%
Only youth in particular political parties benefitted 0%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
“When you give SURE P to politicians they keep it as if it’s their own. They try to empower their own. I have a friend whose brother is a politician, and three of them in one house benefited from SURE P which is not supposed to be” - Deborah James, 25
PART TWO: Key Findings
Key Concerns Of Young People From the youth surveyed, 39% were underemployed and 82% of them were not satisfied with their current jobs. 55% specifically said they were overqualified in their current job.
Satisfaction With Current Job (Underemployed Youth)
18%
yes no 82%
32% of young people want government to provide them with loans for business. 16% want to acquire additional skills and 15% want government to support their education through scholarships. 14% said that they want support with work equipment and tools.
Types of support/ services youth want from government
Platform for youth to show skills Establish youth empowerment schemes Electricity support Sporting facilities Tackle corruption Removal of double digit taxation Employment that meet needs of unemployed Access to land Water/sanitation ICT services Road/Transport services Health services Farming support Innovative centers for poor and disabled youth Educational (scholarship) supports Skill acquisition/ training Financial (loan) Work equipment and tools
0% 1% 1% 1% 0% 0% 7% 0% 1% 1% 7% 2% 2% 0% 15% 16% 32% 14% 0%
5%
10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
Youth Assessment Of FGN Employment Initiatives From the youth surveyed, 9% rated FGN youth employment schemes as excellent; 20% rated as good; 25% rated them fair while another 25% rated the schemes as average. This is a relatively high assessment score – only a minority rated the schemes as poor. However, 50% of respondents who benefitted from the schemes reported that it had no impact on their incomes. Of course, this means that the other 50% had observed an increase in their incomes.
Impact of YE schemes on incomes
yes
no
50%
50%
no
Rating of FGN YE Schemes by the Youth
30% 25%
25%
25% 20%
20%
20% 15% 10%
9%
5% 0%
Excellent
Good
Average
Fair
Poor
Part Three: Key Recommendations From The Youth The surveyed youth made the following recommendations on how government can help the underemployed youth in Nigeria: 1. Create more employment opportunities for young people 2. Provide access to credit
3. Establish skills development centers 4. Establish more factories/companies 5. Encourage entrepreneurship
How government can help underemployed youth *UEY: Underemployed Youth
* Create platform for UEY* to engage with gov.
0%
Empower small and medium business
1%
Initiate more skills acquisition programs
1%
Attract foreign investors
0%
Reform the public sector
1%
Establish centers for poor and disabled youth
0%
* Pay unemployment benefits to youth
1%
Fighting corruption
2%
Encourage entrepreneurship
3%
Improve infrastructure e.g. electricity
2%
Regular and prompt payment of salaries
1%
* Create capacity development centers for youth
13%
Provide adequate information about jobs
2%
Increase wages/ allowances
2%
Provide credit facilities
12%
Create more factories/ companies
8%
Provide financial support to skilled youth
3%
Create more employment opportunities
45%
Educational Support
2% 0%
5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
The youth made the following key recommendations on improving the delivery of youth employment schemes: 1. Increase awareness on youth employment schemes via grassroots mobilisation 2. Tackle corruption
3. Ensure participants are employed after the scheme
4. Ensure that the services reach the targeted beneficiaries 5. Improve supervision and monitoring of the schemes 6. Appoint good leaders to manage the schemes
7. Provide equipment/starter pack for businesses 8. Regular and timely payment of allowances
9. Provide adequate funding for the schemes 10. Provide grants to youth for business
11. Create opportunities for skilled labour 12. Build the capacity of the youth
13. Ensure the proposed services and support are provided 14. Make provisions for the disabled under the schemes
15. The need to sustain and upgrade the youth programmes
This material has been funded by UK aid from the UK government; however the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies