Unemployment, Poverty and the Erosion of Family Values in Nigeria

As work is vital for human development, gainful employment remains a veritable source of human needs. People therefore make efforts to secure employment with a view to improving their quality of life. However given the state of affairs in Nigeria with an unemployment rate of about 25% and four million people entering the labour market annually, securing employment has become a daunting task. As a consequence of the dwindling economy, many people are out of job, just as many school leavers are unable to get work either. The immediate consequence of this is that poverty sets in as the people who are out of employment are unable to meet their immediate and future needs. This situation which now makes the country one of the poorest in the world, with a per capita income of about $2700 has had devastating social consequences and direct effect on the Nigerian family. Today as a result of general lack in many families, those values of integrity, mutual respect and justice that are cherished and responsible for the integration of their members have given way to some aberrant behaviours leading to dire consequences on the general society. Using available literature, this paper therefore examines how the poor state of the Nigerian economy has impoverished the citizens and diminished the long-starting values that have held the family together. The paper ends with recommendations that could improve the economy, create jobs and restore and secure the family as an institution.