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Afrobeats Reducing Unemployment in Nigeria

Unemployment in Nigeria
In recent years, the Nigerian economy has struggled to uphold its title as Africa’s largest economy, in face of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and gasoline prices. As a consequence of slow economic growth and surging inflation, Nigerian citizens must grapple with dwindling employment opportunities; in 2021 alone, poverty has increased by nearly 10% due to pandemic-induced price shocks. However, a type of music called Afrobeats is helping reduce unemployment in Nigeria.

A Surprising Source of Income

Amid the dire employment scene, Nigerian youth have found Afrobeats a surprising source of income. Afrobeat is a combination of West African and Black American music that the Nigerian artist Fela Kuti created. This musical genre, which places political lyrics at its forefront, has recently become a sensation among artists worldwide.

Due to social media outlets, live concerts, endorsements and live streaming platforms, young Nigerians have received satisfactory and sustainable payment by partaking in the Afrobeat economy. Here are three enablers for Afrobeats’ contribution to reducing unemployment in Nigeria.

Collaboration with Record Labels

The collaboration between large record labels and Afrobeats artists has contributed greatly to providing the artists with a sustainable and wide audience base.

Mavin Record Label, which Nigerian music producer Michael Collins Ajereh founded, is one of such contributors to popularizing Afrobeats domestically, The Guardian reported. As the largest record label in Nigeria, Mavin Record Label has already propelled more than 30 artists towards stardom. Singers such as Ayra Starr, Rema, Tiwa Savage, Reekado Banks and Koredo Bello all achieved fame due to the label’s promotion.

In addition to Mavin Record Label, Chocolate City, YBNL, Starboy Entertainment, Marlian Music and Zanku Record Label also played important roles in increasing popular interest in Afrobeats artists and in doing so, providing them with a sustainable source of income, said The Guardian.

Concert Organization

The majority of concerts are large-scale and include only one performer. However, Afrobeats artists and fans have often opted for smaller-venue shows with a medley of artists.

The benefits of such changes are manifold. For one thing, this added flexibility gives many smaller artists the opportunity to reach an audience and showcase their talent, enlarging their fanbase. Rather than the cost of independently renting out a venue impeding artists, they can collaborate to reduce expenditures. Further, there is a greater likelihood that artists could attract new listeners, as it is highly possible that concertgoers who purchase their ticket to watch one artist might leave interested in multiple other performers.

The employment opportunities that the popularization of Afrobeats has created are not limited to performers, stated The Guardian. Increased demand for those who work behind the scenes also provided many Nigerian youths with a new source of income.

Endorsements

Concert tickets and music streams are not the only two sources of income for Afrobeats artists. Due to the genre’s surging popularity, many firms have recognized the purchasing power of fan bases and have sought to exploit this consumer group by offering musicians ambassadorial deals, according to The Guardian.

Such endorsement contracts not only directly increase the salary of the artists, but also increase their net worth. As such, the artists enter a positive feedback loop, where one ambassadorial deal increases their likelihood to receive deals in the future.

Although unemployment continues to pose a grave problem in Nigeria, the Afrobeats industry has been an unexpected generator of job opportunities. As Nigerian youth continues to embrace each emerging opportunity, the country edges closer to poverty reduction.

– Emily Xin
Photo: Unsplash

5 Facts About Unemployment in Nigeria

Unemployment in NigeriaNigeria a small country in Africa, has the highest population of any African nation. After multiple military coups, the country now has an elected official in office. However, social issues such as growing unemployment still plague the nation. Growing industries and government aid, however, could help Nigerians find work. Here are five facts about unemployment in Nigeria. 

5 Facts About Unemployment in Nigeria

  1. The rate of unemployment in Nigeria presents as confusingly high. Nigeria has the most robust economy in Africa. Yet in 2019 it reported an overall unemployment rate of 25%, with an additional 20% of its 186 million people being underemployed. The situation worsens for young Nigerians, as the unemployment rate for people between the ages of 15 and 35 hit 55.4% in 2019. 
  2. Oil dependence exacerbates unemployment in Nigeria. To explain its unemployment crisis, Nigeria’s experts look to the prominence of oil as the country’s disproportionately dominant industry. The nation’s economy has neglected other potentially job-creating fields in order to feed oil. According to The World Bank, “The oil sector provides for 95% of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings and 80% of its budgetary revenues.” Degree-holding Nigerians consequently have trouble finding positions in their field, and others lack access to “vocational training” that should otherwise allow them to find work in a number of industries.
  3. Growth in Nigeria’s real estate industry could help lower unemployment. Nigeria’s real estate industry needs attention; the deficit of homes in Nigeria currently sits at 17 million. The nation’s apparent neglect of real estate likely comes from a lack of investment on the government’s part and its people’s subsequent inability to afford a home. Fisayo Okare of Stears Business reports that “The ratio of mortgage loans to GDP is less than 1%, compared to 34% in South Africa.” An increase in real estate would create jobs in all fields related to the industry, such as carpenters and plumbers, and also help to lower the cost of living for an already struggling nation.
  4. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased unemployment. Recently, since the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, Nigerian companies have executed major salary cuts and layoffs of their employees. For instance, software company Andela and financial institution Ren Money are two of many more that laid off more than 500 people. This comes as a result of the detrimental effects of the pandemic on the global economy.
  5. Tech companies could save Nigeria’s youth. In spite of the numerous obstacles inhibiting employment in Nigeria, tech companies that operate in Nigeria continue to hire young professionals. Tek Experts, one such company that employs over 7,00 people worldwide, intends to increase its staff size. Since 2018, it has hired 1,300 Nigerians, and it aims to bring that number up to 2,000 by the end of 2020.

Unemployment in Nigeria is a growing concern that stems from the country’s many political and economic issues. Though very rich in natural resources like oil, this industry is actually causing more harm since the country has not diversified its economy. Therefore, if the country were to invest more in its real estate and tech companies. The unemployment rates could decrease and help solve the issue of unemployment in Nigeria.

– Will Sikich
Photo: Flickr

Crossroads: Top 10 Facts About Living Conditions in Nigeria

Top 10 Facts About Living Conditions in Nigeria
In many ways, the situation of the Niger River can be taken to characterize the country that bears its name, Nigeria. In the Igbo language — a large ethnic group in Nigeria — the river’s name means “great water,” and this name is substantially representative of Nigeria. Not only does Nigeria contain a large portion of the river, but it boasts the largest economy in Africa; thus, the nation could be said to be a “great water” in the large economic sea of the African continent.

But in Africa, an expansive and diverse continent with a wide variety of living conditions, how does Nigeria rank in its citizens’ quality of life? Is Nigeria’s economic progress translating into better living conditions for its people? Here are the top 10 facts about living conditions in Nigeria which aim to shed some light on these questions.

Top 10 Facts About Living Conditions in Nigeria

  1. In Nigeria, the average life expectancy is 53 years. While low compared to western standards, this figure is dramatically higher than the 37 expected years in 1960. What’s more, in just the last two decades this figure has increased seven years from the 46-year expectancy in 2000.
  2. Poor living conditions are more common in urban environments. In an article written for the Journal of the Arts and Humanities, authors Babatunde Femi Akinyode, Emilia Oluwafolakemi Martins conclude that deteriorated houses are centered on urban areas — particularly in the western city of Ogbomosho.
  3. Fighting in the Borno state has decreased the quality of life for its residents. In a 2016 article done by Doctors Without Borders, many in the area were said to have been cut off from all humanitarian aid due to fighting between the Nigerian military and the militant group Boko Haram. Fighting still continues as of last month.
  4. Nigeria leads Africa in total people without internet access. Despite having the most people online, 53 percent of Nigerians lack internet access. Furthermore, the country lags behind wealthier countries like Egypt which have a smaller portion without internet access.
  5. Nigeria has an unemployment rate of 18.8 percent. Yet this rate has been climbing steadily for over 2 years, and one article written by Yomi Kazeem states that this trend has no sign of slowing. Nigeria’s job scarcity is exemplified by the fact that nearly one million people applied for 10,000 positions in the Nigerian police force in May 2016.
  6. Access to clean water is a persistent problem for Nigerians. USAID reports that many Nigerians struggle with access to clean water, and this struggle remains a particularly dire situation in the northern part of the country in which only 30 percent of the population have access to safe drinking water.
  7. Nigeria has a problem with air pollution. According to the Little Green Data Book published by the World Bank in 2017, 100 percent of the population is exposed to higher pm2.5 (particulate matter) pollution than is advised in the World Health Organization guidelines. WHO recommends that levels of PM 2.5 be kept under 10 micrograms per cubic meter; however, the mean level in Nigeria is 26 micrograms per cubic meter. By contrast, the United States’ value is 8.
  8. Nigeria has the second largest HIV/AIDS positive population in the World. Nigeria’s HIV/AIDS accounts for nine percent of the world’s HIV burden, and the largest global burden of malaria. Combined, these two facts indicate Nigeria’s struggle with maintaining the health of its citizens’ lives.
  9. Nigeria is in the bottom half of countries in terms of happiness. This study ranks happiness by combining statistics on per capita GDP, freedom to make life decisions, healthy life expectancy, generosity, social support, generosity and perceptions of corruption. Nigeria, although in the bottom half of the study, does indeed rank ahead of many of its sub-Saharan counterparts.
  10. Nigeria’s Human Development Index has increased by over 18 percent from 2003 to 2015. Despite many setbacks, it is clear that the people in Nigeria have made improvements in their quality of life. An increasing number of people are free to live lives unburdened with extreme material deprivation.

Crossroads

These top 10 facts about living conditions in Nigeria indicate that like many developing economies, Nigeria is a country at a crossroad. In Nigeria there is palpable wealth, modern cities, and at the same time, distressed rural areas complete with violence. Yet, after weathering a recent a recent economic downturn, Nigeria may very well push forward towards a brighter future for all its citizens.

– William Menchaca

Photo: Flickr

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Population Growth in Nigeria: Looking Forward to 2050

Population Growth in Nigeria
Africa is projected to account for more than 50 percent of the global population increase between 2015 and 2050. Future efforts to tackle poverty on the continent, therefore, will have to take a larger number of people into account. According to a study published by the U.N., Nigeria is expected to be the third most densely populated country in the world by 2050. The projected population growth in Nigeria, combined with its widespread poverty, will have consequences for the entire country.

It may be challenging to create primary and secondary schooling opportunities, health care facilities, clinics and transport at a rate sufficient to keep up with population growth in Nigeria. As a result, poor households may continue in poverty due to insufficient access to facilities that can improve employment and health prospects.

High unemployment rates in Nigeria are also an area of concern, as jobs are projected to become more scarce in the future due to rapid population growth. In 2015, approximately 70 percent of Nigeria’s youth population experienced either unemployment or underemployment. This statistic is unlikely to improve unless a conscious effort is made to create jobs in the country and to improve skills and technical knowledge.

Resources in the country such as food, water, energy and electricity are currently sparse and are likely to become progressively more so as the population increases. Active measures to expand these resources include providing financial incentives for farming and food industries and setting up local clean water supplies and power sources to sustain individual communities.

Nigeria’s growing population could have some positive effects if humanitarian efforts to eradicate poverty are directed toward younger generations. Increasing numbers of working age individuals can enhance economic growth and output if those individuals are equipped with training and education to improve their employability.

The issue of exponential population growth also needs to be targeted at its core. Quality family planning services need to be made readily accessible in rural Nigerian communities in order to ensure that households are well-informed about the responsibilities and costs involved in raising a child.

Population growth in Nigeria may well strain the country’s resources, but if appropriate measures are enacted, Nigeria will be sufficiently prepared for the years to come.

– Tanvi Ambulkar

Photo: Flickr