The Federal Government has begun nationwide registration of Nigerians aged 15 to 35 under the National Youth Data Bank (NYDB), a new initiative designed to build a reliable database of the country’s youth population and connect them with jobs, skills and other opportunities.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, announced the commencement of the registration on Wednesday in Abuja while launching the National Youth Data Bank project.
National Youth Data Bank, youth registration Nigeria, Federal Government youth programme
Mr Olawande said the database would capture young Nigerians across both formal and informal sectors, including those working in agriculture, sports, creative industries and technology.
According to him, reliable data on the country’s youth population would help the government identify where young Nigerians live, what skills they possess and the opportunities they need.
“We want to get the formal and the informal youth to make sure that they are part of this. We want everybody,” the minister said.
“We even want to know the youth in agriculture. We want to know the youth in sport. We want to know all those in creative tech and all that, so that even whenFG begins National Youth Data Bank registration for Nigerians aged 15–35, linking youths to jobs and skills. we say some people need jobs, we know, okay, these people need skills.”
The minister said the database would provide government with information needed to answer key questions about Nigeria’s young population, including who they are, where they live, what they can do and what opportunities they require.
He described the registration as a continuous government programme and not an electoral exercise.
The technical partner for the project, POGMA Nigeria Limited, said registration points had already been established in educational institutions and would be extended to local government areas and wards across the country.
The company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Oluyinka Akerele, said the exercise would cover young Nigerians in secondary schools, polytechnics, universities and colleges of education.
He added that the registration would also reach young people working in the informal sector and those living in rural communities.
The government says the data generated through the exercise will support the planning and implementation of youth development programmes by giving policymakers clearer information about the size, location, skills and needs of Nigeria’s youth population.
