Tinubu’s Govt Approves New National Policy On Employment

• The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a new national policy on employment generation
• The minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, said the policy will address challenges of unemployment and address poverty
• Dingyadi said it will also create economic opportunities for productive employment of Nigerians

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

FCT, Abuja - President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government has approved a new national policy on employment generation for the country.

The new policy was approved at the Federal Executive Council, on Monday, May 12, 2025.

The new policy will unfold new strategies to address the challenges of unemployment and poverty reduction in the country.

As reported by Vanguard, the policy will also highlight economic opportunities for the productivity and employment of Nigerians.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, disclosed this at the end of a council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“My memo is just one, but it’s a very important memo to the Labour sector in general. This memo has to do with the fact that we have been able to get approval to implement it, reduce it, and then send it to our stakeholders, IPD, and the status of the policy, which is that this national policy on employment has been approved.

“Usually, because of this long span of time regarding the reality on the ground, the ministry decided to initiate the review of this national policy on employment so as to show the need to develop new strategies which will address challenges of unemployment, address poverty and create the economic opportunities for productive employment of Nigerians.”

“In the next two or three weeks, we are going to the International Labour Organisation meeting in Geneva; we will be very proud to tell our colleagues in other parts of the world that we have been able to review the national employment policy.”

States with highest number of unemployed people

Recall that a new report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that three Nigerian states are hardest hit by unemployment.

The report revealed that Abia state, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Rivers state top the list of Nigerian states with high unemployment.

The report also disclosed that Nigeria’s unemployment rate has risen to 5.3% in 2024 from 5.0 in 2023.

Nigeria’s unemployment rate falls to 4.3% in Q2 2024

Nigeria’s unemployment rate declined to 4.3% in the second quarter of 2024.

Compared to the 5.0% in Q3 2023 and the 5.3% in Q1 2024, this was a gradual recovery.

The unemployment rate by residential location was 2.8% in rural areas and 5.2% in urban areas.

Unemployment frustrating Nigeria youths nationwide

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Nigeria's high unemployment rate seriously threatens the Nigerian labour market and the economy's efficiency.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) said the working environment in Nigeria is not of the best standard.

The federal government has acknowledged this problem and has commenced moves to tackle the situation as soon as possible.

Source: Legit.ng