Rising unemployment weakens Nigeria’s UN Security Council bid, experts warn
BY TUNDE OPALANA
Nigeria’s ambition for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is being undermined by the country’s growing unemployment crisis, policy experts at Nextier have warned.
In a new report titled Nigeria’s Waning Influence: Can the Giant of Africa Reclaim Its Diplomatic Might? analysts Olive Aniunoh and Khadijat Shuaibu argue that Nigeria’s failure to address youth unemployment is eroding its global standing and diplomatic influence.
With one of the world’s largest youth populations, Nigeria has the potential to leverage its demographic advantage for economic and geopolitical gains. However, rising unemployment has left millions of young Nigerians frustrated, fueling crime, social unrest, and recruitment into militant groups.
The report describes the country’s youth bulge as both a strategic asset and a ticking time bomb, warning that without urgent job creation and economic opportunities, Nigeria’s diplomatic influence will continue to weaken. The nation’s inability to tackle these domestic challenges, according to the report, is not only diminishing its leadership within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) but also weakening Africa’s collective strength in international affairs.
The report highlights that Nigeria’s passive approach to governance and economic reforms is making its UNSC ambitions increasingly unrealistic. It stresses that a country struggling with economic instability and internal security challenges cannot expect to be recognised as a major player on the global stage.
To restore its diplomatic credibility, the experts recommend that Nigeria take a more proactive role in regional diplomacy, lead conflict resolution efforts, and strengthen alliances to support its UNSC bid. They also call for urgent investment in job creation, skills development, and entrepreneurship to harness the potential of the country’s young population.
The report concludes that youth disillusionment is not just a domestic issue but a major factor weakening Nigeria’s global influence. Without bold economic and diplomatic reforms, Nigeria risks further decline in its international standing, jeopardising its long-standing aspirations for a UN Security Council seat.
