PalmPay has reinforced its commitment to data protection and youth empowerment with a ground-breaking partnership with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to launch the Youth Data Protection Awareness and Training (YDPAT) Programme, which is targeted at equipping over 1,000,000 Nigerian youths digitally over three years.
The training programme, commissioned recently at the Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua Centre in Abuja, will focus on providing youths with the right knowledge and skills required to navigate the digital landscape safely. With over 70 per cent of the Nigerian population consisting of youths, this is an important move to foster trust, security and youth-focused innovation.
Speaking at the launch, Ayodele Olawande, minister of youth development, commended PalmPay’s partnership in the actualisation of the programme and described YDPAT as a bold step toward building a digitally literate and security-conscious generation.
In his words, “This is about building a privacy-first generation, one that is inclusive, future-facing, and globally competitive.” He also emphasised the low awareness of the Nigerian Data Protection Act (NDPA), 2023 and the critical shortage of certified Data Protection Officers (DPOs), despite over 500,000 data controllers operating in the country.
This position was equally supported by Chika Nwosu, PalmPay’s managing director,who stated how data protection is as important as innovation in tech. He noted that PalmPay integrates privacy into every stage of its product development, ensuring that user information is safe.
Beyond ensuring data protection, PalmPay is committed to empowering young Nigerians with real opportunities for growth, with mentorship and internship placements for top-performing participants. It has led several youth-oriented initiatives, including the Purple Woman campaign, and Passing the Baton CSR for thousands of youths and women in urban and rural communities.
With a drive to achieve nationwide digital literacy, PalmPay is championing campaigns in Northern Nigeria, with more activities planned across various states.
PalmPay also offers a comprehensive range of products, including mobile payments, credit, savings, and micro-insurance via its app and mobile money agent network.
Since launching in Nigeria in 2019 under a Mobile Money Operator license, the platform has grown to over 35 million app users and processes up to 15 million transactions daily. PalmPay has operations in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Bangladesh.
For more information, visit www.palmpay.com
