Influence of capacity building and barriers on economic empowerment among youth in Abuja, Nigeria

The informal sector of Nigeria has become a growing source of economic empowerment for the unemployed youth. Using the Vocational Skills Development model of Nigeria’s National Directorate of Employment, the study illustrates the effectiveness of skills training (capacity building) as a valuable com...

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Main Author: Obinna, Amadi Bede
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/48699/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/48699/1/FEM%202012%2036R.pdf
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author Obinna, Amadi Bede
author_facet Obinna, Amadi Bede
author_sort Obinna, Amadi Bede
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The informal sector of Nigeria has become a growing source of economic empowerment for the unemployed youth. Using the Vocational Skills Development model of Nigeria’s National Directorate of Employment, the study illustrates the effectiveness of skills training (capacity building) as a valuable community development strategy of promoting economic empowerment and self employment among the unemployed Nigerian youth. The study employed a quantitative approach using questionnaire survey which was self-administered to a sample size of 268 participants, who were aged 19 to 35 years. They were trained under the above skills development scheme and are presently either selfemployed or wage-employed (in the case of those yet to establish their personal businesses). Insightful information through focus group discussions complemented the designing of some research instruments by the researcher,which include perceived skill acquisition scale, perceived economic wellbeing scale and barriers to economic empowerment measure. Other research scales were either used in their original or modified version. The data collected were quantitatively analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences; while inferential statistics and multiple regression were used as techniques for analysis. Findings from the analysis revealed that capacity building resulted in economic empowerment of the youth. The study also found that barriers to economic empowerment showed significant influence on participants’ economic wellbeing, such that the more the participants experience the barriers the less their economic empowerment. The moderation effect of barriers reduced the significant positive relationship between capacity building components and economic empowerment when it is at a high level. Since poverty among Nigerian youth is manifested in unemployment, the training has proved to be a useful community development strategy of unemployment reduction through job creation, improved livelihood, and economic independence among the youth. However, to achieve a more successful result among the youth the researcher proffered a list of recommendations to policy makers, such as providing financial services and enabling infrastructure for the youth.
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spelling upm-486992016-10-14T09:33:56Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/48699/ Influence of capacity building and barriers on economic empowerment among youth in Abuja, Nigeria Obinna, Amadi Bede The informal sector of Nigeria has become a growing source of economic empowerment for the unemployed youth. Using the Vocational Skills Development model of Nigeria’s National Directorate of Employment, the study illustrates the effectiveness of skills training (capacity building) as a valuable community development strategy of promoting economic empowerment and self employment among the unemployed Nigerian youth. The study employed a quantitative approach using questionnaire survey which was self-administered to a sample size of 268 participants, who were aged 19 to 35 years. They were trained under the above skills development scheme and are presently either selfemployed or wage-employed (in the case of those yet to establish their personal businesses). Insightful information through focus group discussions complemented the designing of some research instruments by the researcher,which include perceived skill acquisition scale, perceived economic wellbeing scale and barriers to economic empowerment measure. Other research scales were either used in their original or modified version. The data collected were quantitatively analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences; while inferential statistics and multiple regression were used as techniques for analysis. Findings from the analysis revealed that capacity building resulted in economic empowerment of the youth. The study also found that barriers to economic empowerment showed significant influence on participants’ economic wellbeing, such that the more the participants experience the barriers the less their economic empowerment. The moderation effect of barriers reduced the significant positive relationship between capacity building components and economic empowerment when it is at a high level. Since poverty among Nigerian youth is manifested in unemployment, the training has proved to be a useful community development strategy of unemployment reduction through job creation, improved livelihood, and economic independence among the youth. However, to achieve a more successful result among the youth the researcher proffered a list of recommendations to policy makers, such as providing financial services and enabling infrastructure for the youth. 2012-10 Thesis NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/48699/1/FEM%202012%2036R.pdf Obinna, Amadi Bede (2012) Influence of capacity building and barriers on economic empowerment among youth in Abuja, Nigeria. PhD thesis, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Community development - Nigeria Economic policy Youth - Economic assistance - Nigeria
spellingShingle Community development - Nigeria
Economic policy
Youth - Economic assistance - Nigeria
Obinna, Amadi Bede
Influence of capacity building and barriers on economic empowerment among youth in Abuja, Nigeria
title Influence of capacity building and barriers on economic empowerment among youth in Abuja, Nigeria
title_full Influence of capacity building and barriers on economic empowerment among youth in Abuja, Nigeria
title_fullStr Influence of capacity building and barriers on economic empowerment among youth in Abuja, Nigeria
title_full_unstemmed Influence of capacity building and barriers on economic empowerment among youth in Abuja, Nigeria
title_short Influence of capacity building and barriers on economic empowerment among youth in Abuja, Nigeria
title_sort influence of capacity building and barriers on economic empowerment among youth in abuja, nigeria
topic Community development - Nigeria
Economic policy
Youth - Economic assistance - Nigeria
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/48699/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/48699/1/FEM%202012%2036R.pdf