Veritatis Gaudium: Multidisciplinary Journal of Postgraduate Studies

The study examined the effect of youth unemployment on socio-economic activities in Sabon Gari Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The problem of unemployment among the youth necessitated that both the state, Local Government Councils and community stakeholders devise means to address the rising scourge, but it persisted. Bearing this in mind, this research was undertaken bordering on the dimension of unemployment among the youth and attendant effects on the political as well as the socio-economic activities of the people of the study area and the state in general. For framework analysis, the study adopted the Relative Deprivation. The research employed both primary and secondary methods of data collection, where a total of 372 returned questionnaires distributed to various respondents were used for analysis and also conducted interviews. The study blended data analysis techniques by using the Frequency/Percentage Distribution method, which enabled the researcher to easily determine the highest and lowest responses in frequencies and percentages of data collected through questionnaires administered in the field and complemented with information gained through interviews with key informants. The major findings of the study revealed issues such as high levels of illiteracy, inadequate skills among the youth, economic instability in the region, poor infrastructure such as roads and electricity, and limited access to finance and capital for small businesses which contributes to the scourge of high unemployment rate among the youth in Sabon-Gari LGA. The research therefore concludes that youth unemployment negatively impacts the community at large. A majority of respondents agreed that unemployment has led to increased poverty, higher crime rates, weakened local businesses, reduced community development initiatives, diminished standards of living, and declining social cohesion. These outcomes highlight that unemployment is not merely an individual problem but a structural issue with far-reaching socio-economic consequences for Sabon Gari LGA. The study hence recommends that governments at both local and state levels should demonstrate commitment to youth employment by establishing and funding skill acquisition centres, monitoring employment programmes, and ensuring accountability in policy implementation.

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