ASSESSMENT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS ON UNEMPLOYMENT REDUCTION AMONG YOUNG NIGERIAN GRADUATES.

Abstract

The challenges of fighting the wave of unemployment in Nigeria are phenomenal, and as such, the

consequences of its growing menace to the economy cannot be treated with apathy. To address this

ugly development, the Nigerian University Commission (NUC) developed an entrepreneurship

education programme as a policy for all undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions. The

study, therefore, investigates how entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial skills required

for self-employment among graduates can reduce the unemployment rate in Nigeria. The paper

surveys self-employed graduates of selected Higher Institutions in Nigeria, using a snowball/chain

referral technique to collect data. The study reveals a significant positive relationship between

entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial skills required for self-employment. Empirical

validation further shows that an increase in the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education and

entrepreneurial skills and its delivery in our institutions will, all things being equal, reduce

graduates' unemployment. The policy implication is that Nigerian graduates should take up the

challenge to develop innovative and creative projects capable of attracting funding from the

government to position and develop them independently and economically. The study recommends

that towards preparing Nigerian graduates to possess the 21st-century skills and competencies

essential for self-reliance and global competitiveness, the education curriculum should be better

designed to make entrepreneurship education sufficiently practical and entrepreneurially oriented.