ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION: A PANACEA TO UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG NIGERIAN YOUTHS

Abstract

  Youth unemployment is still one of the most persistent socio-economic problems in Nigeria despite the increase in the number of graduates produced by tertiary institutions every year. The situation is also giving rise to serious concerns about the efficiency of the education system to prepare young people for productive engagement in the labour market. In this regard, entrepreneurship education has emerged as a strategic response to this challenge by equipping the youths with skills to think innovatively and self-employment capacity. This paper reviews entrepreneurship education as a remedy to youth unemployment in Nigeria. The study adopted a conceptual review approach based on existing literature. The study discusses the concept of youth unemployment, major causes and effects, the concept of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship education, its importance in employment generation, major challenges affecting effective implementation and practical strategies for improvement. This paper is based on Human Capital Theory and argues that investment in relevant education and acquisition of relevant skills increases productivity and employability. Research findings suggest that entrepreneurship education, when implemented effectively, contributes significantly to job creation, income generation, innovation, and economic development. However, poor curriculum design, poor teaching facilities, weak policy implementation, lack of funding and poor institutional support continue to hinder its effectiveness. The paper concludes that entrepreneurship education is a viable solution to youth unemployment if backed by strong government policies, institutional commitment and private sector collaboration.