PalmPay has taken a significant step to promote data protection and youth empowerment in Nigeria through a strategic partnership with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development. Together, they have launched the Youth Data Protection Awareness and Training (YDPAT) program, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at equipping more than 1 million Nigerian youths with essential digital skills over the next three years.
The program was officially inaugurated last week at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja. It is designed to educate young people on how to safely navigate the digital world by imparting practical knowledge about online privacy, data protection, and responsible tech usage. With young people making up more than 70% of Nigeria’s population, the initiative is a timely effort to enhance digital trust, security, and innovation tailored to youth.
During the launch, the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, praised the collaboration, calling it a bold move toward building a digitally-savvy and security-aware generation. He highlighted the need to increase awareness of the Nigerian Data Protection Act (NDPA), 2023, and addressed the gap in certified Data Protection Officers (DPOs) across the country, despite having over 500,000 data controllers.
Echoing this concern, PalmPay Managing Director, Mr. Chika Nwosu, emphasized that data privacy is a core element of innovation. He explained that PalmPay builds privacy into every stage of its product development, ensuring user data is always protected.
In addition to training, PalmPay plans to offer mentorship and internship opportunities to top-performing participants, further empowering youth with career-building tools. The company has previously launched several impactful youth-focused programs such as the Purple Woman Campaign and Passing the Baton CSR, reaching thousands of young people and women in both urban and rural areas.
To ensure widespread impact, PalmPay is also expanding its digital literacy campaigns into Northern Nigeria, with plans to roll out more awareness and training activations across other states in the near future.
