Bridging the Gap Between Public Sector Employment and Youth Expectations in Nigeria: An Analysis of Workforce Development and Retention

Abstract

The growing dissonance between youth aspirations and the structural realities of public sector employment in Nigeria poses significant policy and management challenges for sustainable governance. This study, anchored in the framework of workforce development and retention, examines how systemic inertia, outdated personnel policies, and misaligned reward mechanisms have failed to meet the evolving expectations of Nigeria’s youthful labour force. Employing a documentary research design, the study critically synthesizes data from policy documents, government reports, institutional reforms, and extant scholarly literature to interrogate the interface between public service transformation and youth career paths. Findings reveal that the Nigerian public sector’s traditional bureaucratic model characterized by rigid hierarchies, opaque recruitment practices, and limited innovation space; contradicts the values of a generation seeking flexibility, creativity, and merit-driven advancement. Drawing insights from human capital theory and expectancy theory, the paper argues that bridging this gap demands a strategic policy shift toward talent-based management, digital capacity building, and performance-oriented culture. It recommends a recalibration of public service structures to foster inclusivity, continuous learning, and motivational equity capable of retaining skilled youth within the system. The study contributes to ongoing debates in public administration and development management by proposing a pragmatic framework for re-engineering Nigeria’s public workforce toward adaptive, youth-responsive governance.