Reps Sound Mass Youth Unemployment, Demand Textile Revival, 1m Agro-Processing Jobs

• The House of Representatives has demanded an immediate “National Youth Jobs Emergency”, warning that the collapse of productive sectors and lack of employment opportunities are aggravating youth restiveness.

• Lawmakers urged the Federal Government to revive Nigeria’s moribund textile industry, particularly in Kaduna, and proposed a ban on imported used clothing

• The House also wants government to establish modern storage facilities and agro-processing clusters across the six geopolitical zones within 12 to 24 months.

• It further demanded a low-interest Manufacturing Revival Fund for SMEs, amendment of the Mining Act to formalise artisanal mining and the creation of six mineral processing zones.

September 29, () – The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to declare a “National Youth Jobs Emergency” and urgently deploy resources to sectors capable of generating mass employment for Nigeria’s growing youth population.

The demand followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Billy Osawaru (APC, Edo), who linked the deterioration of the country’s security situation to the collapse of productive industries and inadequate economic opportunities for young Nigerians.

The lawmaker said banditry, kidnapping, cultism, killings and youth restiveness could not be addressed through security measures alone without confronting the economic conditions that leave millions of young people without sustainable livelihoods.

Osawaru cited SBM Intelligence figures showing more than 10,000 deaths and 7,500 kidnappings in over 1,700 security incidents in 2024, as well as 2,683 deaths and 1,107 kidnappings recorded in 245 incidents in the first quarter of 2025.

He also cited unemployment figures in the motion and expressed concern over Nigeria’s large out-of-school population, warning that young people without access to education, skills and legitimate economic opportunities could become vulnerable to criminal recruitment.

Textile Industry Revival

A major plank of the House’s proposal is the revival of Nigeria’s textile industry, with particular attention to Kaduna, once one of the country’s major textile manufacturing centres.

Osawaru recalled that Nigeria had more than 160 textile mills between the 1970s and 1990s, with Kaduna alone hosting more than 10 textile companies and some of the country’s largest textile operations.

He said the collapse of the industry had wiped out thousands of jobs and weakened local manufacturing.

The House consequently urged the Ministries of Agriculture, Trade and Investment, and Solid Minerals Development to work towards reviving textile production in Kaduna and other parts of the country.

It also called for a ban on the importation of used clothing and the enforcement of local-content requirements for uniforms and clothing procured by schools, security agencies and the NYSC.

The lawmakers argued that guaranteed local demand could help stimulate investment in textile production and create jobs across the cotton, spinning, weaving, garment and distribution value chains.

One Million Agro Jobs

The House also identified agriculture and agro-processing as major areas for immediate job creation. It called for funds to be appropriated for modern storage facilities and agro-processing clusters in each geopolitical zone, with implementation targeted within 12 to 24 months.

According to Osawaru, inadequate storage and processing infrastructure has contributed to post-harvest losses of more than 40 per cent, while insecurity has also restricted access to large areas of farmland.

The proposed investment, he said, could cut post-harvest losses and create about one million direct jobs or more, while expanding opportunities for farmers, processors, transporters and other businesses linked to the agricultural value chain.

The House also urged the Federal Government to work with the Bank of Industry and the Central Bank of Nigeria to establish a Manufacturing Revival Fund offering low-interest financing to SMEs that meet local-sourcing and youth-employment targets.

The lawmakers further turned to Nigeria’s largely underdeveloped solid minerals sector, which Osawaru said holds more than 44 mineral types estimated to be worth about $700 billion.

Despite the resource base, he said the sector contributes only about 0.5 per cent to the nation’s GDP.

The House called for amendments to the Mining Act to formalise artisanal miners, establish six mineral processing zones and strengthen security around mining areas.

Particular concern was expressed over illegal mining in the North-West, with Osawaru citing reports linking proceeds from illegal mining to the financing of banditry.

The House said formalising artisanal mining and expanding local mineral processing would help bring more operators into the regulated economy, create employment and increase the value retained within Nigeria.

Economic Solution to Security Crisis

Osawaru maintained that Nigeria’s security challenges required a broader response combining security operations with economic and employment interventions.

He cited reports by Amnesty International and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project on repeated abductions of schoolchildren, commuters, women and rural residents as evidence of the scale of the crisis.

The lawmaker argued that reviving sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, textiles and mining would not only expand employment but also strengthen local production and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports.

The House consequently urged the Federal Government to treat youth employment as an urgent national priority and move beyond isolated interventions to a coordinated programme capable of restoring industries, expanding productive opportunities and addressing some of the economic pressures feeding insecurity and youth restiveness.