A cross-section of Abuja residents on Monday decried the growing trend of young people seeking quick money in the country.

Speaking in Abuja, the residents described the phenomenon as a double-edged sword.

According to them, it can either fuel ambition and creativity or drag youths into destructive patterns that can be harmful to individuals.

John Atomore, national coordinator of AfrisportPro, Abuja, said that the quick-money mindset thrives where there is no direction or mentorship.

According to him, if platforms that reward consistency and growth are created, mindsets will gradually shift from negative to positive.

“Personally, we need to engage more youths in structured, purposeful activities like sports, skills training, and entrepreneurship. Through initiatives such as the AfrisportPro Youth League, we have discovered young talents who have a passion for football and, if given the opportunity, will excel,” he said.

He, however, noted that changes do not happen overnight, adding that exposure to real opportunities makes the difference.

Similarly, Esther Emmanuel, an entrepreneur, said that youths with a quick-money mindset were mostly those who were jobless.

According to her, the best way to address the problem is for the government to provide employment opportunities for young people.

“When you start earning, you will not have the time to start thinking of taking money that is not yours,” she said.

Ms Esther also stated the importance of skill-based workshops, effective parental guidance, and strong moral foundations for children.

In the same vein, Nnamdi Ifeanyichukwu, CEO of Studio 7, Abuja, stated the need for individuals, the government, and society to encourage and reward hard work. He noted that Nigeria’s value system had been eroded, adding, however, that if hard work was rewarded, youths would stay focused on their goals.

“In the past, there was a certain amount of money you could make, and people would ask where you got it from, but today that is not so. As long as you are paying the family bills, no one cares.

“Look at BBNaija, for example; they stay in the house for just three months, and someone will go home with millions of naira. But a student who wins a mathematics quiz competition will get N200,000 with a laptop.

”Government and parents themselves no longer encourage hard work. Hard work has to be encouraged and rewarded. Also, the value system must be put back in place; once this is done, our youths will be better,” he said.

Victor Etim, a web designer, said that social media was one of the platforms fuelling the illusion that making money was easy. According to him, the best way to address the mindset is by educating people on how money actually works.

“The majority of people do not understand that money is earned through the exchange of goods and services. So many people lack skills and productivity, yet they desire money because of the good things it brings,” he said.

He noted that the best way to change the quick-money syndrome among youths was to educate them and create opportunities for them to discover, harness, and nurture their talents. 

(NAN)