Government, PalmPay Partner to Train One Million Youths on Digital Safety

The Federal Government has announced a strategic collaboration with PalmPay, a leading fintech platform, to train one million Nigerian youths in digital safety. The initiative is aimed at equipping young people with the knowledge and tools to navigate the digital economy securely while curbing rising cases of cybercrime and fraud in the country’s financial sector.

Speaking at the launch of the programme in Abuja, Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said the partnership underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians with critical skills for the digital era. He noted that while technology has opened new doors of opportunity in finance, innovation, and entrepreneurship, it has also created vulnerabilities that must be addressed.

“As we expand access to digital services, we must ensure that our young people are equipped with the right knowledge to protect themselves online. This programme is part of our broader agenda to build a generation that can participate in the digital economy safely and confidently,” Olawande stated.

He explained that the training aligns with the Federal Government’s drive to promote youth development, enhance digital literacy, and reduce exposure to online scams, identity theft, and fraud. “Digital safety is not just about preventing financial loss; it is about building trust in our systems and enabling young Nigerians to thrive in the digital future,” the minister added.

PalmPay’s Managing Director, Chika Nwosu, explained that the fintech firm is leveraging its expertise and wide customer base to support the initiative. He emphasised that the company’s priority is ensuring that millions of Nigerians using its platform are educated on safe transaction practices. “We are deeply committed to protecting our users and building a secure digital payments ecosystem. Training one million young Nigerians is part of our corporate responsibility to strengthen financial inclusion while reducing vulnerabilities to cyber threats,” Nwosu said.

He further noted that PalmPay has been investing in fraud detection systems, security infrastructure, and consumer awareness campaigns, but insisted that digital safety requires collective responsibility from both service providers and users.

The training will be delivered through a mix of online courses, physical workshops, and awareness campaigns across schools, universities, and community centres nationwide. Modules will cover topics such as password management, two-factor authentication, identifying scam messages, and reporting suspicious activities.

Industry stakeholders welcomed the initiative, describing it as timely given Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital economy. According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), internet penetration in the country has surpassed 60 percent, while mobile money and fintech adoption continue to grow at double-digit rates. However, this growth has also been accompanied by rising incidents of digital fraud, with the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) estimating that banks and financial institutions lost billions of naira annually to cyber-related crimes.

Cybersecurity expert, Dr. Ifeanyi Oguejiofor, said the partnership between the government and private sector players like PalmPay could play a critical role in building resilience. “You can have the best security systems in place, but if the users are not educated, the system remains vulnerable. Training young Nigerians at scale is a step in the right direction. It reduces exposure to fraud and builds long-term trust in the digital economy,” he said.

Young participants who attended the pilot phase of the training expressed optimism about its impact. A student from the University of Abuja, Esther Olawale, said she learned practical skills that could help her avoid common online traps. “I used to click on suspicious links without thinking, but now I understand the risks. This programme has opened my eyes,” she remarked.

The initiative is also expected to complement the government’s broader youth empowerment strategy, which prioritises skills development, financial inclusion, and safe digital practices. Officials say the long-term vision is to empower Nigerian youths not just as safe digital users, but also as innovators who can create solutions that enhance cybersecurity.

Observers note that with Nigeria’s youthful population—over 60 percent of whom are under 30—the programme could have significant multiplier effects. By equipping a million young people with digital safety skills, the government and PalmPay aim to create a generation of informed users who can serve as digital safety ambassadors within their communities.

The training is scheduled to run in phases, with the first cohort of 250,000 youths expected to complete the programme by the end of the year. Participants will receive digital safety toolkits and certificates of completion, which could also boost their employability in the growing technology and financial services sectors.

Experts further suggest that such initiatives should be scaled up and integrated into Nigeria’s educational curriculum to ensure long-term sustainability. “If we embed digital safety into primary, secondary, and tertiary education, we won’t just be reacting to fraud, we’ll be building a resilient society from the ground up,” Oguejiofor said.

As Nigeria pushes towards a more digitally driven economy, initiatives like the government-PalmPay partnership highlight the importance of public-private collaboration in tackling emerging risks. With one million youths set to be trained, the project could become a model for similar digital literacy and safety programmes across Africa.