My major focus is to create jobs for Nigerian youth, says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari 

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the major focus of his government is to create jobs for Nigerian youth.

The President stated this yesterday during an audience with Guy Ryder, the Director General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to Buhari, “In the last four years, this government prioritised agriculture, housing and infrastructure development. Our focus in these areas was to create jobs today and ensure peace and equitable prosperity for future generations.



“On agriculture, it was simple; a country with a population of close to 200 million has to be able to feed itself. We cannot rely on importing food.”

The President also told the ILO chief that his government had “attacked head-on the big deficit in power, roads, bridges, rails and housing… in order to ensure adequate housing is available today and for many years to come.”

He attributed some of the achievements of his government so far to consultations before taking critical decisions affecting the labour force.



“Our achievements to date were as a result of strategic fiscal and monetary policy decisions. In some instances, we partnered with stakeholders such as the labour unions.

“A good example was during the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) review and the National Minimum Wage negotiations. This consultative approach aligns with the vision of the ILO to keep communications open, create jobs, ensure social justice and eliminate worker exploitation,” he said.