Jude Eze, a former apprentice from Orhom Orba village in Enugu State, feels devastated by years of wasted apprenticeship in Cotonou, Benin Republic. His nine-year apprenticeship with his boss Emeka Eze was cut short when his master’s investment in motorcycle tubes and tires failed due to poor quality. Despite being two months away from becoming independent, Jude returned to Nigeria empty-handed, now working as a carpenter to make ends meet.
Similarly, Ernest Nwabueze, after seven years of apprenticeship in Gombe, faced a setback when his master’s business crumbled due to a swindle by importers. Though the two had an agreement, Ernest was left without compensation. He continues to support his family through menial jobs and advises youth to consider trades like welding or mechanics, which offer lifelong skills compared to trading, which relies heavily on capital.
Chukwuebuka Odo, who gave up secondary education to serve a master in Lagos, found himself abandoned as well. After years of hard work, his master cited family issues to avoid fulfilling their agreement. This experience led Chukwuebuka to return home without any settlement, sharing that many masters mistreat apprentices by making excuses for not settling them at the end.
The Igbo apprenticeship system has long been a self-sufficient means of building wealth among Igbos. However, its informal nature has created vulnerabilities. Some masters, as noted by patent medicine dealer Cajethan Nnadi, engage in unethical practices, even involving cultism to avoid settling apprentices. On the other hand, Nnadi highlights that some apprentices also exploit the system by stealing from their masters. Meanwhile, apprenticeship dropout rates among Igbo youth are rising as they turn to “Yahoo Yahoo” and other quick-money schemes, a trend that welder Onwuka Eze attributes to impatience and the appeal of instant wealth.
Experts like Uchenna Nnadi, Director General of the Nsukka Chamber of Commerce, believe that formalizing the system could prevent abuses. If regulated, apprenticeships could offer both economic security and skill-building for Nigeria’s youth. Nnadi and others propose engaging with Southeast business stakeholders and creating a formalized, secure system for apprentices. By integrating it with Nigeria’s educational system, they suggest that apprenticeships could revive its potential as a grassroots economic engine.
Nze Kanayo Chukwumezie of Maka Odimma Igbo is advocating to formalize the system, suggesting a centralized registration of apprenticeships to enforce accountability and provide a clear process for resolving disputes. Kanayo sees immense potential in elevating the Igbo apprenticeship model, now recognized by Harvard Business School as an exemplary business model, to foster economic growth and self-reliance among young Nigerians.