International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 3 No. 7; April 2013 146 Unemployment and Security Challenges in Nigeria Dr. Olubukola S. Adesina Department of Political Science University of Ibadan Nigeria Abstract Unemployment is one of the most serious problems facing Nigeria like many other countries in the world. However, there is also a growing level of security challenges facing the country, which calls for serious concern. The rising level of unemployment in the country can be attributed for the increase in security challenges in the country. Many school leavers and employable adults are unable to secure jobs and the government is unable to act fast enough in finding a solution to this problem. This paper argues that the high rate of unemployment in the country is directly responsible for the increasing security challenges in Nigeria. For sustainable development to be achieved, the government must urgently address the unemployment crisis facing the country so as to be able to adequately tackle its security challenges. The paper suggested various measures the Nigerian government can put in place to arrest this situation. Introduction Unemployment is a global phenomenon whereby eligible workforce of a nation is disengaged in the service of the nation. It is not only a serious economic issue but has social implications that affect almost all countries and all people either directly or indirectly. It causes social disquiet and is the harbinger of the spate of crimes, perennial youth unrest and unstable socio-economic structure that has bedeviled several nations. The state of unrests witnessed recently in the Middle East, North Africa and even the riots in the United Kingdom in 2011 as well as several others could be attributed to the increasing rate of unemployment in those nations. The world and most particularly developing nations like Nigeria are currently facing serious job challenge and widespread decent work deficits, a development that is capable of increasing the spread of poverty. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), over 900 million persons are living below the $2 a day poverty line. It is estimated that 456 million workers around the world are living in extreme poverty (below $1.25 a day). The ILO further stated in its report on “Global Employment Trends 2012” that the situation would worsen in Africa and parts of Asia unless governments at all levels unite a gainst the “global threat”. It noted that 400 million new jobs would be needed over the next decade to avoid a further increase in unemployment, adding that it was high time politicians invested more in productive job creation rather than continuing with excessive recurrent expenditures. The intensity of unemployment within the global economy can be seen from the fact that unemployment rate is steadily increasing each year. According to Nigeria‟s 2011 Annual Socio-Economic Report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the unemployment rate of the United States of America (USA) for example has increased from 5 per cent in 2007 to 9 per cent in 2011. Spain has increased from 8.6 per cent to 21.52 per cent United Kingdom (UK) from 5.3 to 8.1 per cent, Ireland currently stands at 14.3 per cent from 4.8 per cent, Latvia from 5.4 per cent to 16.5 per cent, Greece from 8.07 per cent to 18.4 per cent and Italy from 6.7 per cent to 8.3 per cent. The average for the Euro area is 10.7 per cent. Even within the African continent, unemployment has risen with South Africa, Africa‟s largest economy having a higher rate than Nigeria at 25 per cent, Angola at 25 per cent, Botswana at 17.5 per cent, Egypt at 11.8 per cent, Kenya at 11.7 per cent and Namibia at 51 per cent. Nigeria‟s rate increased to 23.9 per cent in 2011 compared to 21.1 per cent in 2010 and 19.7 per cent in 2009. Such high unemployment situations lead to serious security problems for the respective nations. Hence, one of the factors adduced for the increasing security challenges in Nigeria is unemployment.