Entrepreneurship Empowerment and Gainful Employment: Panacea for Youth Restiveness in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Abstract

The Niger Delta region of Nigeria is the world’s third largest wetland. Its’rich crude oil deposit has attracted several oil and gas MultinationalCorporations, whose exploitative and explorative activities have rendered itshitherto viable economy, unproductive. The prevailing high incidence ofkidnapping, pipeline vandalism and many other social disorders, which arebelieved to be poverty and unemployment induced, are direct consequencesof the environmentally destructive activities of these Corporations. This studyis aimed at determining the readiness of vulnerable Niger Delta youths toaccept gainful employment and entrepreneurship empowerment, which wereconsidered as alternatives that could possibly resuscitate their economies.Questionnaires were used to gather data from 900 resident respondents.Analysis revealed that the youths were willing to eschew violence and pursuelegitimate means of livelihood. It was recommended that government incollaboration with the Multinational Corporations should offer the youthsopportunities for entrepreneurship empowerment and gainful employment.