The Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Nigeria, Bengt van Loosdrecht, has said unemployment remains a stronger factor pushing young Nigerians to seek opportunities abroad than insecurity.
The envoy stated this during the Youth Pulse Dialogue organised by the Youth Advisory Committee to the Netherlands Embassy in Abuja to mark International Youth Day.
According to him, findings from a survey conducted among young Nigerians revealed that many are primarily seeking employable skills, decent jobs, better incomes and access to funding for businesses.
Van Loosdrecht said while insecurity remains a concern, unemployment is increasingly viewed by young people as the greater obstacle to achieving their aspirations within Nigeria.
He explained that many respondents indicated they would prefer to remain in the country if more opportunities existed for education, entrepreneurship and meaningful employment.
The ambassador stressed the importance of creating an enabling environment where young people can acquire practical digital skills and access resources needed to build sustainable careers and businesses.
He also highlighted the growing contributions of Nigerian youths in sectors such as technology, fashion, music and innovation, noting that they should be given a stronger voice in national development discussions.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), Dr Abiodun Essiet, commended youths for their commitment to development initiatives, while Co-Chairperson of the Youth Advisory Committee, Derefaka Derefaka, said the survey showed many young Nigerians were willing to contribute to national growth if systemic challenges were addressed.
The dialogue focused on strengthening youth participation in governance and creating opportunities capable of reducing migration pressures.
