The former Federal Office of Statistics, now National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has been calculating employment/unemployment statistics to guide policy over the years. During the 1960s, data from the then FOS reflected full-employment in the economy. Even when government was concerned about rising unemployment, the FOS from 1983 – 1998 published unemployment rates average as 4.0 per cent signaling full-unemployment. From 1999 to 2013, the rates of unemployment published by NBS mirrored the concern of government that unemployment was not only a major challenge but also indicated noticeable rising trend among youth unemployment. For example, in 2010, the rate of unemployment stood at 21.4 per cent and rose to 27.4 per cent in 2012 and declined to 24.7 per cent in 2013. These high rates clearly indicate that the economy has an unemployment problem. These rates are quite at variance with the 5-5.5 per cent full employment rates.

Genevieve Nnaji And Kate Henshaw; Linda Ikeji And Stella Dimoko Korkus

Alfonso Sebastian de Erice is the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria. In this interview, he speaks on the relationship between Spain and Nigeria.

Mr Ayodeji Peter Oyedokun was the General Manager of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and a pioneer member of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC). The incumbent Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Drivers Institute, in this piece, addresses ‘At Work Road Crashes’.

Nigeria’s maritime sector appears set to compete with South Africa’s as the Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) moves to attract foreign investment for a USD1.5 billion (about N300 billion) shipyard begin to pay off.