The Federal Government has launched a National Youth Data Bank designed to connect young Nigerians with jobs, skills development, entrepreneurship and empowerment opportunities.
The platform, introduced by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, will collect information on young people’s demographics, skills, aspirations and needs. The ministry said the data would support evidence-based policymaking and improve the targeting of government programmes.
Minister of Youth Development Ayodele Olawande said the initiative was built around the goal of knowing, understanding, connecting and empowering young Nigerians. He said its success would require sustained cooperation among government agencies, state governments, schools, development partners, private organisations, civil society groups and youth associations.
Olawande said the system would improve the identification of young Nigerians, particularly those in rural and underserved communities who may be poorly represented in existing datasets. The platform is intended to help match registered youths with opportunities suited to their skills and needs.
The minister also said privacy, data accuracy and security safeguards had been incorporated into the system. He added that the initiative aligned with the Federal Government’s wider priorities on job creation, digital transformation and human capital development.
The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Maryam Keshinro, represented by the Director of Human Resources, Olanipekun Adebayo, described the portal as an important tool for strategic planning, monitoring and coordination among government agencies.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth Development, Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu, represented by the committee clerk, Dr Ijeoma Chilian, commended the ministry, POGMA Nigeria Limited and other partners involved in the project. He said reliable data on young Nigerians could strengthen legislative oversight, resource allocation and the design of targeted interventions.
