The youth population represents a vital force for economic growth and innovation. Comprising individuals transitioning from education to employment, they embody creativity, adaptability, and the potential for productivity gains. Over 50% of the global population is under 30, with youths aged 16 to 24 making up 16% of this demography. Nigeria’s case is rather peculiar having one of the youngest populations in the world with 70.6% of its population under the age of 30 and youths aged 16 to 24 representing 18.2% of its population according to the UNDP’s 2024 World Population Prospects. In Nigeria, where unemployment and underemployment rates among youths are alarmingly high, empowering this demography is essential for sustainable economic growth. Nigerian youths, despite their potential, face challenges that hinder their ability to contribute optimally to the economy. Highlighted below are some of these challenges: Inadequate Education: Less than 20% of undergraduate applicants gain admission to tertiary institutions. The curricula of these institutions do not equip young graduates with critical employability skills necessary for success in the workplace , leaving many graduates unprepared for the job market and exacerbating youth unemployment and underemployment. Economic Barriers: Nigeria’s current macroeconomic situation characterized by high interest rates, inflation and infrastructure deficiencies adversely affecting businesses has resulted in insufficient job creation and therefore fewer job opportunities for youths. Government including policymakers and regulators and the private sector, play crucial roles in addressing these challenges and creating a sustainable and viable economic environment for fostering youth development and empowerment as well as engendering increased job creation by entrepreneurs. Some strategic stakeholder interventions are proposed: Government: Prioritizing Education and Skills Development To address the challenges in education, the Nigerian government must invest in modernizing the curricula in tertiary institutions to include the relevant skills and trainings required in today’s world. Finland’s education system and Rwanda’s YouthConnekt initiative, which link young people with skills training and funding, provide examples of how targeted interventions can boost youth employability. Similar initiatives in Nigeria would help develop a workforce that is adaptable and capable of driving innovation. Private Sector: Fostering Innovation and Creating Opportunities The private sector must play a more active role in youth development through partnerships with educational institutions and the Government. Programmes like EnterpriseNGR’s Youth of Enterprise (YOE) Internship Programme are already making strides by placing over 2000 young Nigerians in high-value internships. Programmes like this focus on improving the employability of Nigerian youth. Regulators: Ensuring Fair Labor Practices Regulators must enforce laws that support youth employment and protect workers’ rights. In Denmark, labor laws ensure fair treatment and compensation which enable young workers to thrive. Nigeria can adopt similar practices to ensure that youths are paid fair wages and have access to job security. Empowering Nigerian youths for sustainable economic growth requires coordinated efforts from the Government, private sector, and regulators. By investing in education, fostering entrepreneurship that would lead to more job creation, and improving infrastructure, Nigeria can reduce youth unemployment and drive long-term economic growth. Our youth population is a key asset and leveraging their potential will certainly boost the country’s economic prosperity. EnterpriseNGR is a policy and advocacy group established to promote the Nigerian financial and professional services sector with the primary objective of catalysing economic transformation in Nigeria. One of our initiatives is the Youth of Enterprise (YOE) internship programme which focuses on improving the employability of the Nigerian youth by providing trainings on soft skills and placing them in internships with leading organisations.