Youth empowerment for sustainable development in Jigawa State

This study was a baseline survey to determine the market and skills gaps existing in Jigawa state aimed at assisting the State government re-strategize and plan for a more effective way of its empowerment programs. Primary data was utilized which was sourced through structured questionnaire administered to 1500 respondents in 15 Local Government Areas. In addition, focused group discussion (FGD) and key-in-depth interview (KII) were employed to source additional qualitative data used for the analysis. Descriptive statistics, tables and charts were used in analyzing the data using Stata and Microsoft Excel. The survey found out that the major market and skill gaps for trades and vocations in Jigawa State includes provision store, farming, modern tailoring, local snacks, beauty make-up, fruits/vegetables, grains business, phone repairs and livestock businesses. Previous beneficiaries of the State empowerment programs reported that insufficient capital, low patronage and high competition were the major factors that affected the sustainability of their businesses. The study recommends that Empowerment programmes should take into cognizance the differences in the three senatorial zones in terms of the market and skill gaps as identified in this survey. It is important to give emphasis to business management in empowerment training programs in order to ensure sustainability. Government to ensure that strong supervision and monitoring of beneficiaries are put in place to ensure that take-up capitals, equipment, materials etc. are effectively used for the purpose given.