Youth entrepreneurship initiatives are crucial for addressing high school dropout rates in Nigerian informal cityscapes where economic opportunities often elude young people. The study employed a qualitative approach to understand the needs and preferences of high school dropouts within Nigerian informal cityscapes. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with stakeholders including young entrepreneurs, educators, and local business owners. A key finding was that existing entrepreneurship programmes often lacked community involvement, leading to low participation rates among out-of-school youths who felt disconnected from the initiatives. Based on findings, it is evident that integrating community engagement into youth entrepreneurship programmes could significantly enhance their effectiveness in engaging high school dropouts in urban settings. Communities should be actively involved in designing and implementing youth entrepreneurship programmes to increase relevance and participation among out-of-school youths.