EVALUATION OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN YAMALTU DEBA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF GOMBE STATE, NIGERIA

This study evaluates employment opportunities in Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area (LGA) of Gombe State, Nigeria, with a focus on the availability, accessibility, and quality of jobs across key economic sectors. Using both primary and secondary data, a total of 366 respondents participated through structured questionnaires. The results reveal that agriculture remains the dominant source of employment, engaging 40.98% of the workforce, followed by trade and commerce (32.79%) and services (26.23%). However, infrastructure challenges—particularly poor road networks (49.18%) and unreliable electricity supply—significantly hinder job creation and business expansion. The findings also show that gender and cultural barriers continue to restrict women’s participation in formal employment, while youth unemployment remains a pressing issue, with 50.82% of respondents rating job availability for young people as low. The study concludes that although the local economy is largely agrarian, there is strong potential for job growth in emerging sectors such as tourism, hospitality, and manufacturing. It recommends infrastructure development, economic diversification, skill acquisition programs, and gender-inclusive policies to promote sustainable employment and improve the socio-economic well-being of residents in Yamaltu Deba LGA.