Youth unemployment is a global phenomenon that presents a threat to world peace (Cray et al., 2011). In 2014 the unemployment rate in Nigeria for youth averaged 17.5% (WB, 2016). In 2006, in response to the problem of youth unemployment, the Nigerian government mandated that all polytechnics in the federation establish the CED to impart entrepreneurship skills and knowledge to students for self-reliance. Entrepreneurship is considered a pivotal element of economic growth and development; and through the creation of SMEs, employment opportunities are created (Chidiebere, Iloanya, & Udunze, 2014). The contemplated research will examine measures through the analysis of theories on entrepreneurship, peace, social justice, poverty reduction and Austrian economics. A new conceptual model or framework that better integrates theory with praxis will be constructed. The research will investigate the effectiveness of entrepreneurship development centres in Nigerian polytechnics, specifically, their potential to reduce youth unemployment rates in the country.

Since the 1990s, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries aimed to focus in their economic planning on diversification of their economies that are mainly dependent on oil with varying degrees depending on the country, to avoid the high fluctuations in global oil prices that cause volatility and instability in their national incomes. Applying an empirical and comparative approach for two distinguished economies out of the six GCC countries, namely United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia (SA), this study aims to use time series data over the period 1980-2014 for both countries to reflect the diversification attempts? effect on GDP per capita.