S4C Files FOI Request to Verify Job Creation Statistics

Spaces for Change (S4C) has filed a request to inspect public records and statistics of jobs created in Nigeria between 2011 – 2013 to the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the National Bureau of Statistics and the Office of the Chief Economic  Adviser to the President. 

The FOI request seeks to inspect or obtain copies and public records of the official statistics regarding the number of jobs created in Nigeria between 2011 – 2013 in addition to copies of enabling policies, executed and ongoing projects and programmes for bolstering job creation and youth employment.

In his 2014 New Year message, President Goodluck Jonathan had claimed his government’s policies had been responsible for the creation of about 1.6 million jobs in 2013. “Our national budget for 2014 which is now before the National Assembly is specifically targeted at job creation and inclusive growth,” President Jonathan had said. "We are keenly aware that in spite of the estimated 1.6 million new jobs created across the country in the past 12 months as a result of our actions and policies, more jobs are still needed to support our growing population. Our economic priorities will be stability and equitable growth, building on the diverse sectors of our economy.”

The aim of the request is to independently verify the methodology, measures and figures employed in generating the statistical data of jobs created within the specified timeframe.

Official records released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2011, and that of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in 2012 disclosed that the youth unemployment rate was 41.6 per cent and 54 per cent, respectively. S4C is primarily concerned about the rate of unemployment especially among the youth population in Nigeria, particularly in light of the tragic aptitude test conducted by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) in which more than 15 persons died. "

The overwhelming population of unemployed and under-employed Nigerians that took part in that NIS examination propelled us to interrogate the official statistical data of 1.6 million jobs  that have been reportedly created in the last 12-24 months in Nigeria,” S4C's executive director said.