Youth Unemployment and Innovative Employment Creation (IEC) among University Undergraduates in Nigeria

Authors

  • Olayinka Akanle Sociology Department, Faculty of the Social Sciences. University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria & Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4707-4491
  • Adefolake O Ademuson Department of Sociology, Faculty of The Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
  • Precious A Morakinyo Department of Sociology, Faculty of The Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30742/jus.v1i1.4044

Abstract

Youth unemployment has become a pervasive issue globally, with profound implications for individuals, communities and economies, particularly in Nigeria where a substantial portion of the youth is absorbed into informal sectors characterized by low productivity, minimal job security and limited access to social benefits. This study examined the innovative employment creation in the midst of widespread unemployment among youths in Ibadan specifically investigating the reasons youth engage in Innovative Employment Creation (IEC), the challenges faced and the coping mechanisms adopted. IECs are new and usual economic activities and business efforts youths engage in to earn income so as to escape unemployment which is widespread and a social reality in Nigeria. Descriptive research design was used. Human Capital Theory was used as theoretical framework. Structured questionnaire and in-depth interviews (IDIs) were used to gather data. Findings suggest that addressing the challenges of youth unemployment and promoting entrepreneurship requires a collaborative approach involving educational institutions, government agencies, private sectors and community stakeholders. It is therefore recommended that all the above-mentioned stakeholders should enhance access to entrepreneurship education and training programs while supports to youths are key as they continue to innovate to combat widespread youths unemployment in Nigeria and Africa.

Keywords: youth, unemployment, innovative employment creation, undergraduate students

Author Biographies

Olayinka Akanle, Sociology Department, Faculty of the Social Sciences. University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria & Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Faculty of The Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria and Senior Research Associate in the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Recipient of Folke Bernadotte Academy, Swedish Agency for Peace, Security and Development, Sweden’s Certificate of Achievement. Won scholarly and practice awards including; World Social Science Fellowship (WSSF) of The International Social Science Council (ISSC), Paris, France, African Science Leadership Programme/Nigerian-Science Leadership Programme Fellowship, South Africa/Nigeria, The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), Dakar, Senegal laureateship and University of Ibadan, Nigeria Postgraduate School Prize for scholarly publication. Was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) in Social Policy, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa (UNISA), South Africa. Few of existing collaborations: The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Canada funded project to understand Complex Migration Flows and Multiple Drivers in Comparative Perspctive (MEMO). 2022-2028; European Union (EU) funded project Link4Skills. An AI-based tool assists the EU in identifying and remedying skills shortages. 2024-2026; The International Development Research Centre (IDRC)/Centre de recherches pour le développement international(CRDI, Canada and Centre for Migration Studies, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana, Strenghtening Knowledge, Evidence Use and Leadershipand Leadership in The Global South on Forced Displacement: Focus on Anglophone West Africa. 2024; Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, U.S.A. Funded Research New Evidence in DRC, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria, in partnership with African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), Malawi/Kenya. July. Analytically ingenious sociologist with intersectional research interests covering clusters of: Governance and environment in context of political economy; epistemology and knowledge production; international migration and diaspora; gender, family and sexuality; child and youth; conflict, crime and security; health and medicine. Member of funded research groups. Widely published intellectual with more than 150 publications. Attended many local and international scholarly conferences. Authour, editor and co-editor of books including; The Development of Africa: Issues, Diagnosis and Prognosis (Springer Publishing, Germany, 2018), Corruption and Development in Nigeria (Routledge Publishing, UK, 2022), Youth Exclusion and Empowerment in the Contemporary Global Order: Contexts of Economy, Education and Governance (Emerald Publishing, UK, 2022) and Youth Exclusion and Empowerment in the Contemporary Global Order: Existentialities in Migrations, Identity and the Digital Space (Emerald Publishing, UK, 2022).

Adefolake O Ademuson, Department of Sociology, Faculty of The Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Senior Lecturer, Department of Sociology, Faculty of The Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Precious A Morakinyo, Department of Sociology, Faculty of The Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Gradute of Sociology fron Department of Sociology, Faculty of The Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

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Published

2025-05-15

How to Cite

Akanle, O., Ademuson, A. O., & Morakinyo, P. A. (2025). Youth Unemployment and Innovative Employment Creation (IEC) among University Undergraduates in Nigeria. Journal of Urban Sociology, 1(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.30742/jus.v1i1.4044

Issue

Volume 8 No 1 Tahun 2025

Section

Articles

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