Educational attainment is a pivotal measure of human capital, reflecting the skills available within a population and labor force. While higher educational levels are globally associated with improved employment rates and economic outcomes, the relationship between educational attainment and employment opportunities is complex, especially in developing regions like Africa. Notably, Nigeria presents a paradox where tertiary-educated young men and women exhibit high NEET (Not in Employment, Education, or Training) rates, underscoring systemic challenges in linking education to labor market demands.

Environmental sustainability is a critical concept that addresses the balance between human activities and the planet’s ecological systems to ensure a greener, more resilient future. This paper explores the philosophy of environmental sustainability, emphasizing the need for responsible interaction with natural resources to secure the well-being of future generations. It discusses the aims of sustainability, such as resource conservation, ecological preservation, and social equity, while aligning these efforts with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

At the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda, all of the SDGs are seriously off track. From 2015 to 2019, the world made some progress on the SDGs, although this was already vastly insufficient to achieve the goals. Since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020 and other simultaneous crises, SDG progress has stalled globally. The SDGs were initially set for the fifteen-year period 2016–2030, following the fifteen-year period of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is clear that the SDGs need to be extended beyond 2030 for Nigeria to achieve its global goals.