Assessment of youth migration on political and socioeconomic growth in Nigeria

The study assessment of youth migration on political and socioeconomic growth in Nigeria. The study adopted a quantitative survey research approach. The population consisted of literate Nigerian youths aged between 22 and 45 years. Due to the impracticality of surveying the entire population and the absence of precise figures for the target group in Nigeria, Cochran’s formula for an infinite population was employed to determine the appropriate sample size, resulting in 384 and stratified sampling technique was used to select the respondents for this study. The study employed questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. The data collected for the study was analyzed using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) through SmartPLS 3.0 software. The study found that youth migration has negative and statistically significant effect on both political and socioeconomic growth in Nigeria at 5% level of significance. Based on the findings, the study concludes that youth migration negatively and significantly influences political and socioeconomic growth in Nigeria. The study thus recommended that Nigeria government should prioritize the creation of sustainable employment opportunities and entrepreneurial support systems tailored for young people. Policies should focus on skills development, access to affordable financing for youth-led businesses, and improving infrastructure to attract private sector investment in sectors with high youth employment potential. Additionally, strengthening vocational education and linking it with market demands will equip young Nigerians with relevant skills that can reduce the push factors driving migration. By making the domestic economy more inclusive and supportive of youth aspirations, Nigeria can retain its youthful workforce, thereby bolstering socioeconomic growth.