By Abbas Nazil
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development has launched the National Youth Data Bank (NYDB), a central platform established to improve youth-focused policymaking, programme targeting, and access to development opportunities across Nigeria.
The initiative aims to provide reliable, comprehensive data on the demographic characteristics, skills, aspirations, needs, and overall circumstances of young Nigerians.
Speaking at the launch event, Minister of Youth Development Ayodele Olawande stated that the platform is designed not merely to collect information, but to actively identify young people and connect them with opportunities in employment, entrepreneurship, internships, digital initiatives, and skills development.
Olawande emphasized that the system will significantly boost the visibility of underrepresented youth, particularly those residing in rural and underserved communities.
He highlighted that the overarching vision of the initiative is centered on four main pillars: “Know the Youth, Understand the Youth, Connect the Youth, and Empower the Youth.”
The Minister stressed the critical importance of inclusion, privacy protection, and responsible data management, acknowledging that young Nigerians face diverse realities influenced by location, gender, education, economic status, disability, and access to infrastructure.
He further noted that the Data Bank forms an integral part of the Federal Government’s broader youth agenda focused on job creation, digital transformation, empowerment, and human capital development.
Olawande added that the long-term success of the platform will rely heavily on sustained collaboration between government bodies, state authorities, educational institutions, development partners, civil society, and the private sector.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Maryam Ismaila Keshinro, represented by the Director of Human Resources, Olaniepekun Akinwumi Adebayo, described the initiative as a major milestone in strategic planning.
She noted that credible data covering employment status, educational backgrounds, entrepreneurial goals, and specific vulnerabilities will be essential for successfully harnessing Nigeria’s large youth population.
Furthermore, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth Development, Senator Adeyemi Raphael Adaramodu, represented by the committee’s Clerk, Dr. Ijeoma Chilean, commended the Ministry, POGMA Nigeria Limited, and other partners for implementing the project.
Adaramodu affirmed that the platform will supply essential datasets to guide national legislation, policy formulation, resource distribution, and targeted youth interventions nationwide.
