Doyin Salami: If poverty disparity doesn’t ease, pressure on Lagos will continue to rise

Doyin Salami, the president’s chief economic adviser, has warned that if the poverty disparity in the country does not ease, pressure on Lagos will continue to rise.

Salami said this on Tuesday at the 2022 Ehingbeti Lagos Economic summit held in the state.

Making a case for adequate job creation, the president’s chief economic adviser said there is an urgent need to meet the citizens’ expectations “for a better life”.

According to him, Nigeria’s rising population does not commensurate with its capacity to provide for the people, hence the pressure to leave the country.

He added that Nigeria must begin to consider creating jobs and upskilling the youths to match its rising population.

“It is important for Nigerians to understand the dynamics of demographics whether locally or globally,” Salami said.

“If the poverty disparity doesn’t ease, Lagos must continue to expect an inflow of people seeking a better life even within the Nigerian domain. Whether the managers of Lagos understand it or appreciate it, the pressure on the population in Lagos will continue to rise.

“Globally, the dimensions and dynamics of demography are also going to affect Nigeria and indeed Lagos. Please bear in mind that there is the ‘japa syndrome’, [which] must be understood and expected.

“This is because in many countries there are rising populations, and these countries require labour, and are wealthier countries which pay better and have better prospects to that extent, you must expect that Nigerian youths who have the opportunity will move on.

“So, those managers of labour must be ready. It is imperative not just for Lagos but also for Nigeria, that the quality of education has to rise across all levels, or else, what would be left won’t be the best of the youth or those left do not have the skill and capacity for the jobs that are created.

“My challenge is only in one part, which is, jobs need to be created. Absolutely we cannot be growing the population without creating jobs. We must also add to it the upskilling of our youths.

“Nigeria’s labour force has to become fit for purpose with its population but what we will find is, indeed, that the labour force in Lagos and Nigeria is not fit for purpose. 

“It’s a fundamental challenge that both at the federal, state and local levels, we really must see it. I know we have paid attention to out-of-school children which are very important because that is the basis for education.

“But at the heart of it, it is not just the population that is growing, we must create jobs that are needed. But if you don’t have the labour force, a skilled, well-educated, healthy labour force that can take advantage of what you have or what you try to create, then what you will have is a divided citizen across the country and those who do not stand a chance and the challenges around security will simply become even worse.”

Salami, who also gave his opinion on the state of Nigeria at 62, said the country is not doing as bad as other countries that gained independence alongside Nigeria.