Empowerment programmes and employment opportunities as panacea for youth migration in Nigeria

Youth migration in Nigeria has emerged as a significant socio-economic issue, with many young individuals leaving their rural or urban localities in search of better opportunities elsewhere. This study therefore examined the impact of empowerment programs and employment opportunities on youth migration in Nigeria. This study adopted a survey research design, the population of the study comprised of literate youth in the six geopolitical regions in Nigeria and the sample size was determined using Cochran (1977) sample size determination formula. The study utilized adapted questionnaire to collect data. The data was analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling. The study found that empowerment programs and employment opportunities have positive but statistically insignificant impact on youth migration in Nigeria. The study therefore concludes that despite the potential benefits of these programs and opportunities, they are currently inadequate in significantly influencing or curbing youth migration in Nigeria. The study recommends that Government at all levels and relevant stakeholders in Nigeria should revamp existing empowerment initiatives to align them more closely with the needs of the youth. This could involve increasing the scope and scale of such programs, ensuring they are more accessible to marginalized communities, and incorporating skill-building components that are relevant to the modern labor market.