Unemployment crisis: Nearly 2 million Nigerians fight for 30k paramilitary jobs

DDM News

(DDM) – Nigeria’s deepening unemployment crisis has been starkly exposed as over 1.9 million citizens jostle for just 30,000 available positions in the nation’s paramilitary agencies.

DDM gathered that the recruitment exercise, overseen by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), has triggered unprecedented interest, with some states producing applicant figures that exceed the population of entire towns.

According to data from the board’s recruitment portal, Kogi State led the pack with 116,243 applicants, closely followed by Kaduna with 114,599, and Benue with 110,644.

Other states recorded similarly staggering numbers — Kano had 89,421 applicants, Niger 79,567, and Kwara 78,467 — reflecting the fierce competition for stable government jobs in a struggling economy.

The North-west, North-central, and parts of the Middle Belt dominated the applicant list, with states like Katsina (76,917), Nasarawa (76,677), and Adamawa (68,381) also posting high numbers.

Even states with lower populations saw heavy turnout, as Bayelsa recorded 11,680 applicants and Lagos 14,221, underscoring the nationwide desperation for employment.

Nigeria’s unemployment and underemployment rates have worsened in recent years, driven by sluggish economic growth, inflation nearing 30%, insecurity disrupting agricultural and industrial activities, and a weak private sector unable to absorb millions of job seekers.

For many Nigerians, government recruitment offers one of the few perceived paths to financial stability, regular salaries, and social security. This has made public sector job openings highly competitive and sometimes controversial, with past exercises dogged by allegations of nepotism and irregularities.

The CDCFIB confirmed that shortlisted candidates will be contacted in the coming weeks with details on screening and training. It urged applicants to monitor emails and phone messages for official notifications, warning against paying bribes or relying on unofficial channels.

While the board had initially planned to recruit no fewer than 30,000 people into the Civil Defence, Immigration, Correctional, and Fire Services, the sheer volume of applications has intensified calls for the government to expand security recruitment to both address unemployment and bolster the fight against insecurity.

Critics argue that without large-scale economic reforms and sustainable job creation in agriculture, manufacturing, and technology, Nigeria’s youthful population will remain trapped in cycles of poverty, with competition for limited government jobs serving as a stark indicator of a broken labour market.

The staggering figures from this recruitment have become a talking point online, with many Nigerians describing the exercise as both “a job lottery” and “a national emergency.”

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