The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has announced that no fewer than 58,820 young Nigerians registered for the Youth Data Protection Awareness and Training (YDPAT) programme within just 53 days of its launch.
Speaking on Tuesday through ministry spokesperson Omolara Esan, Olawande said the massive turnout shows the hunger among Nigerian youths to acquire vital digital literacy and data protection skills needed in today’s economy.
“This impressive figure shows how determined our young people are to embrace data protection and digital skills,” the minister stated.
The YDPAT initiative, launched in collaboration with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and the Globe Takers Foundation, closed registration in early September 2025. The selection of participants is already underway and is expected to be finalized before the end of the month.
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Olawande confirmed that training will begin with 5,000 participants drawn from all six geopolitical zones of the country. While only a fraction will take part in the first phase, the remaining applicants will still benefit from other youth-focused digital programs under the ministry.
The training will run on a hybrid model, with virtual classes scheduled to start in November, followed by physical workshops in December 2025.
The minister also appealed to private sector players, state governments, and development partners to join hands in sustaining the programme, stressing that the long-term goal is to raise a generation of digitally empowered youths capable of safeguarding their rights online and driving Nigeria’s digital economy forward.
