Nigeria’s unemployment and economic challenges demand more than the usual hustle culture. The country needs a generation of young people who can identify problems,create solutions, and build businesses around the needs of society.
There is a popular narrative in Nigeria that young people are lazy, impatient, and obsessed with making quick money. But before we label an entire generation, perhaps we should examine what many of these young people are actually doing. Consider Danjuma of Tech Xpo in the technology space; IdrisAnimasaun, who built 3SC Fans TV around sports and fan engagement; Olanrewaju Olansile of Garri Max; and Ayo Adams in the Nigerian media space.
Their respective crafts bring attention to the different ways people can develop skills, build platforms, and pursue opportunities. Their examples raise an important question: when young Nigerians are creating value through their talents and ideas, can we honestly dismiss an entire generation as lazy? The real conversation should be about how more young people can identify problems, develop relevant skills, and turn their creativity into sustainable livelihoods.
One of Nigeria’s biggest challenges is that entrepreneurship is sometimes presented as though everybody must follow the same path. A young person wants to start a business, and the familiar suggestions are to sell perfumes, thrift clothing, jewellery, or other products online. There is nothing wrong with these ventures, but not everybody needs to enter an already crowded market. Our communities face problems in technology, agriculture, transportation, education, energy, waste management, and business operations.
Each presents opportunities for people willing to understand the challenges and develop practical solutions. Instead of asking only, “What can I sell?” young Nigerians should also ask, “What problem can I solve, who needs the solution, and how can I deliver it affordably,?” Creativity is not merely about starting something new; it is about finding better ways to solve problems people already face.
However, creativity alone cannot sustain a business when the operating environment makes success unnecessarily expensive. Consider electricity. A technology entrepreneur, media producer, tailor, or small manufacturer may have the skills and customers needed to grow, yet unreliable power forces them to spend additional money on fuel, generators, inverters, or solar equipment.
These expenses consume capital that could otherwise support expansion, staff development, or improved services. Government must prioritise reliable electricity, strengthen accountability in the power sector, and support accessible financing for suitable alternative energy solutions.
Public-private partnerships could also establish shared solar-powered workspaces and business hubs, particularly in markets and commercial clusters. If we expect young Nigerians to innovate, we must create conditions that allow them to spend more time developing solutions and less time struggling to power their businesses.
Logistics presents another obstacle. A young entrepreneur may develop a good product and attract customers online, only to discover that transportation costs, poor roads, traffic, fuel prices, and unreliable delivery services make fulfilling orders difficult. Farmers struggle to move produce to markets, small retailers face expensive deliveries, and businesses outside major commercial centres can find it difficult to reach new customers. Federal, state, and local governments should improve road infrastructure, maintain access routes to markets, and work with private logistics providers to develop affordable distribution networks and shared delivery hubs. Digital platforms that help small businesses compare delivery prices and track orders could also improve efficiency. These measures would reduce avoidable costs, expand market access, and help young entrepreneurs compete on the quality of their products and services rather than being overwhelmed by the cost of moving them.
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Beyond electricity and logistics, high equipment costs, limited access to affordable credit, rising rents,currency fluctuations, and weak purchasing power can make it difficult for small businesses to survive.Government youth empowerment programmes must therefore go beyond distributing starter packs and organising motivational events. Young people need practical training linked to market demand, mentorship, accessible financing, and support that continues after training. Banks, established companies, investors, telecommunications firms, and development organisations can contribute through apprenticeships, incubation programmes, supplier partnerships, and investment in viable youth-led enterprises. These interventions should have transparent selection processes and measurable outcomes,including businesses sustained, jobs created, and skills translated into income. Empowerment should not end when a young person receives a certificate or starts a business; it should help create the conditions for that business to survive and grow.
Young Nigerians also have a responsibility to change how they approach opportunities. Following trends without understanding the market, investing without calculating costs, or starting a business without identifying its customers can lead to avoidable losses. Young people should learn to research problems, test ideas on a small scale, manage finances, collaborate, and continuously improve their skills.
Someone with technical ability could build a business around equipment maintenance; a creative professional could help local businesses reach customers; another entrepreneur could develop a service that makes deliveries more affordable. Not every young person needs to become an entrepreneur, either. Skilled employment, technical professions, research, and vocational trades are equally valuable pathways to economic contribution.
The objective should be to develop a generation that can recognise opportunities, create value, and solve problems, regardless of the career path it chooses.
The government cannot guarantee the success of every business, and individual effort cannot resolve every structural problem. Both responsibilities must be recognised.
The professional journeys of Danjuma of Tech Expo, Idris Animasaun of 3SC Fans TV, Olanrewaju Olansile of Garrimax, and Ayo Adams in the Nigerian media space provide a starting point for discussing the different crafts through which Nigerians pursue enterprise and create value. Their mention is not a claim that their journey have been without challenges; it is a reminder that opportunities exist beyond conventional business trends.
Nigeria needs young people who think creatively and solve real problems, alongside public institutions and private-sector leaders who reduce the barriers to productive work. The question is not simply whether Nigerian youths are willing to work. It is whether we are equipping them to solve the right problems and creating an environment in which their solutions can succeed. We mustmove beyond telling young people to hustle harder and begin helping them think deeper, build smarter,and create lasting value for society.
Abdulmateen Adeniyi Akanbi is a Nigerian technology professional, entrepreneur, trainer, and youth development advocate passionate about practical skills, leadership, enterprise development, and community impact. Through his work in technology and skills development, he advocates for a generation of young Nigerians equipped not merely to seek opportunities, but to identify problems, develop practical solutions, and create sustainable economic and social value.
