Merit and the Recruitment Process in Nigeria’s Youth Empowerment Schemes

This study, grounded in the meritocracy theory, examined the role of merit in the recruitment process of volunteers for Nigeria’s Youth Empowerment Schemes. We adopted mixed methods of data collection and triangulated sampling techniques. It was discovered that very few volunteers were recruited based on merit. Our findings revealed that applicants with personal connections to recruiters, such as shared state or origin, religion, or political affiliation, were favoured over others. Also, some applicants secured their appointments through monetary transactions. Bivariate analyses revealed that this lack of meritocracy significantly contributed to the scheme’s ineffectiveness and hindered the productivity and development of labour. This absence of merit in recruitment led to various negative job-related attitudes that prevented professionalism and rendered volunteers even less employable. Participants were further disadvantaged because of the scheme’s policies, which strongly correlated with alienation, financial instability and unprofessionalism. The study recommended that the scheme should employ merit in its selection process and pay more attention to human capital development.