22.45m Nigerians unemployed, as job loss hits 710,693

As economic downturn persists, the number of unemployed and underemployed persons in Nigeria surged to 22.45 million in the fourth quarter, Q4, 2015, about 9.1percent or 1.75 million, higher than 20.7 million recorded in the third quarter.

Unemployment

In addition, during the period a total number of persons in full time employment (that did any form of work for, at least, 40 hours) decreased by 710,693 when compared to the previous quarter.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, unemployment is the proportion of those in the labour force (not in the entire economic active population, nor the entire Nigerian population) who were actively looking for work but could not find work for at least 20 hours during the reference period, to the total current active labour force population.

Accordingly, you are unemployed if you did absolutely nothing at all or did something but not for up to 20 hours in a week. Underemployment, according to NBS, occurs if you work less than full time hours, which is 40 hours in a week, but work at least 20 hours on average a week and /or if you work full time but are engaged in an activity that underutilises your skills, time and educational qualifications.

The development in the labour sector reflects the landmark declines recorded in key economic indices since last year, with the gross domestic product, GDP, on steady decline hitting a three-year low of 2.1 percent in Q4,2015 while a steady inflationary pressure had pushed the headline rate to 11.4 percent in February.

In its employment report yesterday, NBS also stated that the economically-active population or working age population (persons within ages 15 and 64) has increased to 105.02 million in Q4 2015, from 104.3 million in Q3 2015, representing a 0.68 percent increase over the previous quarter and a 3.2 percent increase, when compared to Q4 2014.

The report also said that in Q4 2015, the labour force population (those within the working age population willing, able and actively looking for work) increased to 76.96 million from 75.94 million in Q3 2015, representing an increase of 1.34 percent in the labour force, during the period.

This means 1.02 million persons in the economically-active population entered the labour force, and NBS stated that this increase was the highest quarterly jump in the labour force population in 2015.

According to the report, the number of underemployed in the labour force (those working but doing menial jobs not commensurate with their qualifications or those not engaged in full time work and merely working for few hours) increased by 1.21 million or 9.16 per cent, resulting in an increase in the underemployment rate to 18.7 percent or 14.42 million persons in Q4 2015, from 17.4 percent or 13.2 million in Q3 2015.

During the same period, the number of unemployed in the labour force, increased by 518,102 persons, resulting in an increase in the national unemployment rate to 10.4 percent in Q4 2015 from 9.9 percent in Q3 2015.

22.45m Nigerians unemployed, as job loss hits 710,693

Government won"t give free money to lazy Nigerians - Chris Ngige

ABUJA—Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, yesterday, said that the stipend of N5,000 promised by the government of All Progressives Congress, APC, for unemployed youths was not for the indolent people.

Chris Ngige

He said that no country would give free money, stressing that Nigeria would not be an exception.

Speaking to journalists yesterday at the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja, Ngige, however, revealed that the Federal Government would ensure that the youths were trained in various skills and programmes to justify the money.

He added that the project would also involve the state governments.

According to him, there will be categories of people, who would earn higher than the N5,000.

“We also have the programme on the commission cash transfer. Though even you, the press, has said it,  we won’t pay N5,000 for people to be indolent. No country in the world would pay people to go home and sleep and collect cash. So, Nigeria would not be an exception.

“We will pay some people N5,000, we will pay some N10,000, and even for people in teacher conversion scheme, we will pay more than N10,000 and N15,000 as stipend while in training, and then after the training, they are going to be employed by state government and the Federal Government in different institutions.

“It is not a programme we shall run alone, the state governments are going to buy into it. They are going to synchronize with us.We are going to do it in synergy.”

Ngige also stated that some of the programmes will “span through Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Labour.

“Agriculture, because we have some agricultural universities, we will convert some people to teach the relevant agricultural science.”

The minister who stated that Nigeria has various skill acquisition centers also underscored the importance of training the youth.

“The ministry has specialist skills acquisition centres; we have seven like that in the ministry under the commissioner of skills or directorate for skills.

“The NDE have over 120 centres scattered all over the country. We also have those that have been built by state government and we want to capture all of these into that scheme and then get people to the scheme to be bricklayers,  POP designers, builders, welders, electronics repairers and the one they called mecha-tronic, repair of vehicles, automobile carpentry, painting and fabrication of all sorts.”

Government won"t give free money to lazy Nigerians - Chris Ngige

Obasanjo expresses fear over rise in unemployment

ABEOKUTA— Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has urged the federal, state and local governments to do more in the area of employment.

Olusegun Obasanjo

The former president who spoke at the 10th anniversary and 6th and 7th convocation ceremonies of Tai Solarin University of Education, TASUED, Ijagun, Ijebu Ode, warned: “If there is no job for the unemployed to feed themselves and also to contribute to the development of the country, then, we will all be sitting on gun powder.

“If university education was not for development then, it was not serving any useful purpose. It must be for development, personal, local, national and even global and that is very important.”

He stated that education is a meal ticket for anybody that has it, adding that it is also a means of breaking the poverty cycle.

Obasanjo advised: “I believe in lifelong education. Nobody should stop learning until he or she die.”

He said that he accepted the award because of the personality the school was named after, saying that Tai Solarin was one of the greatest educationists the country has ever produced.

He also told the audience that he was honoured to be honoured in conjunction with Chief Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, insisting, “Anywhere Mama is being honoured, we must join hands to to honour her.”

Obasanjo was honoured with an Honourary Doctorate of Education in Political Science while HID was honoured with Honourary Doctorate in Business Education while Aliko Dangote was conferred with Honorary Doctorate in Science and Business Education. HID Awolowo’s daughter, Mrs Tola Adeniran, received the award on behalf of her mother’s behalf.

Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, in his speech at the occasion said: “This year’s convocation ceremony, which marks the successful completion of another academic session, is a continued demonstration of commitment to the production of qualified teaching personnel for our education system.

“You are all expected to use your collective wisdom, knowledge, ability and exposure to sustain and promote the ideals of this great institution.”

He disclosed that the 12 First Class students would be given automatic employment by the state government.

The Vice -Chancellor of the University, Professor Oluyemisi Obilade, in her welcome address, said: “The university is a specialised university, uniquely positioned to respond to national and global educational needs for equipping graduands with the necessary  and pedagogical skills as well as content knowledge for effective teaching and learning.”

Obasanjo expresses fear over rise in unemployment

Unemployment worsen in Nigeria as 1,317,700 lose jobs in second quarter

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

LAGOS — There are indications that the country’s labour market has taken a major hit with worsening unemployment recorded in the second quarter (Q2) of 2015. About 1, 317,700 Nigerians lost their jobs within the period.

Unemployment

On the other hand, the number of underemployed increased significantly with new hire of about 1,362,274 citizens in this category of employment during the period.

Within the same period, the number of unemployed in the labour force increased to 6,063,500, a significant 9.6 per cent from 5,533,600 recorded in first quarter (Q1), resulting in an increase in unemployment rate to 8.2 per cent in Q2, 2015 from 7.5 per cent in Q1.  This represents a third consecutive rise in the unemployment rate since third quarter 2014.

Accordingly, there were a total of 19.6 million people between ages 15 and 65 either unemployed or underemployed in the labour force in Q2, 2015, compared to 17.7 million in Q1 2015.

Amidst this development, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in its latest labour market report, said economically active population or working age population (persons within ages 15-64) increased to 103.5 million in Q2, 2015 from 102.8 million in Q1.

Also, the report shows that in Q2, 2015, the labour force population (those within the working age population willing, able and actively looking for work) increased to 74 million from 73.4 million in Q1 2015, representing an increase of 0.81per cent. This means 574,498 economically active persons within ages 15 and 64 entered the labour force within the period.

According to NBS, the drop in the number of full employment (those working less than 40 hours per week) despite a rise in the labour force can be attributed more to job losses or previously fully employed persons choosing or being forced to work part time or in underemployment.

The NBS report also indicated that unemployment and underemployment was higher for women than men in Q2 2015.

While 9.6 per cent of women in the labour force (those between 15 65 willing, able and actively working or searching for work) were unemployed in Q2 2015, another 21.6 per cent of them in the labour force were underemployed during the period under review. On the other hand, 6.9 per cent of males were unemployed in Q2 2015, while another 15.4 per cent of males in the labour force were underemployed.

Employment, underemployment and unemployment, according to NBS, are treated as a function of a person’s involvement or otherwise in economic activity even if that activity is aimed at making ends meet. The suitability of wages is covered under other quality of living standards indicators such as poverty etc and not in determining whether one is employed, unemployed or underemployed which is a function of economic engagement..

 

Unemployment worsen in Nigeria as 1,317,700 lose jobs in second quarter

Four great enermies Buhari must terminate after being sworn in Friday

Muhammadu Buhari is sworn in as Nigeria’s next president on Friday but he has a daunting to-do list after promising wholesale change during elections two months ago. Here are four key areas, otherwise termed enermies of his successful administration he will have to tackle when he takes office:

– Corruption –

General Buhari

Buhari, 72, has said the corrupt and corruption will have no place in his administration, sparking fears of a wide-ranging crackdown similar to his previous time as military ruler in the 1980s. But he has pledged outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan has “nothing to fear” and there will be no witch-hunt against the former administration.

Some areas are likely to be too big to ignore, however, such as the running of the opaque, state-run oil firm, which is seen as riddled with corruption. Analysts predict Buhari will beef up existing anti-corruption agencies, while he has personally promised to declare his assets and liabilities for greater transparency and accountability.

Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) estimates it could save three trillion naira ($15 billion, 13 billion euros) by streamlining government and plugging “leakages” in the system.

– Security –

Jonathan’s administration will be remembered for the rise of Boko Haram Islamists, who left least 15,000 people dead and more than 1.5 million homeless in a six-year campaign of violence. Boko Haram is currently seen as on the run but security experts say the war is far from over, with sporadic attacks continuing and the likelihood the rebels could regroup in border regions.

Former army general Buhari has recognised the need for top-down reform to boost poor morale and end graft that hit military procurement, leaving troops ill-equipped to fight. But restructuring also needs to go hand-in-hand with social and economic programmes to tackle the root causes of the insurgency, namely lack of development and unemployment in the Muslim north.

Buhari has indicated he will maintain regional cooperation with Chad, Niger and Cameroon but he faces potential trouble on another front from former militants in the oil-producing southern Delta. Rebels wanting a fairer share of oil wealth have threatened to resume their activities against energy facilities in the region if a government amnesty programme is not extended beyond this year.

– Unemployment –

Nearly two-thirds of Nigeria’s population of more than 170 million is under 30. But unemployment is currently nudging 30 percent, despite strong overall rates of economic growth in recent years. Outgoing Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in 2013 recognised the benefits of growth needed to be shared more equitably. The APC says some 110 million people still live in poverty.

Buhari’s administration has pledged to embark on a massive programme of industrialisation, including building railways, improving roads and ports, and improving crumbling infrastructure. But those programmes could be hamstrung immediately by lack of funds, with Nigeria hit hard by the slump in the global price of oil, on which it depends for 90 percent of foreign income.

Observers say diversifying the economy is a must, as is educational reform to improve skills. Some 10.5 million Nigerian children are currently out of school — the most in the world.

– Energy –

Last Friday, the government said Nigeria was producing just 1,327 megawatts of electricity — an all-time low and down even on Buhari’s last time in power in 1983-85. Reversing the country’s crippling power deficit is seen as key to driving economic growth but has evaded successive governments because of mismanagement, incompetence and vested interests.

Buhari is expected to decentralise, deregulate and privatise the transmission sector, opening it up to competition. The APC has reportedly promised to triple generation to 12,000 MW by 2019. He will also have to address the oil and gas sector and controversial subsidies paid to fuel importers who bring in petroleum products because of a lack of functioning refineries.

The government’s alleged non-payment of arrears saw fuel supply lines shut down in recent weeks, causing a crippling shortage that brought Nigeria to a near standstill.

 

Four great enermies Buhari must terminate after being sworn in Friday

Thousands protest against unemployment in Italy

TURIN (AFP) – Scuffles broke out between police and hundreds of protesters in Turin at one of several rallies against unemployment and austerity in Italy for May Day.

Activists lobbed smoke bombs at police, who charged against demonstrators in the northern industrial city, which has been badly hit by a painful two-year recession.

A few protesters were seen being detained.

Thousands of people also took part in a peaceful demonstration called by the main trade unions in Pordenone, near Venice, where the closure of a nearby washing machine plant owned by Sweden’s Electrolux has put 1,300 jobs at risk.

“We always hear talk about cuts in Europe instead of investment in labour,” Susanna Camusso, leader of Italy’s biggest union, the CGIL, said at the rally.

Although Italy’s monthly unemployment rate went down slightly to 12.7 percent in March, from 13 percent in February, it was 0.7 of a percentage point higher than in March 2013, according to official data released Wednesday.

Italy began growing again in the fourth quarter of 2013 after its worst recession since World War II, but the government is forecasting the economy will grow by just 0.8 percent this year.

Speaking at an event in Rome, the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano said there was a “labour emergency” and called for “maximum reaction in terms of reforms and public policy”.

He also paid tribute to several business owners and workers in Italy who have committed suicide in recent years because of the acute economic crisis.

At the Vatican, Pope Francis also had a May Day message.

In a tweet from his account, @pontifex, he wrote: “I ask everyone with political responsibility to remember two things: human dignity and the common good”.

 

Thousands protest against unemployment in Italy