“Your Vote is Your Voice” : Ministry of Youth to Train 470,000 Data Protection Officers

ABUJA, Nigeria — The Federal Ministry of Youth Development on Wednesday urged Nigeria’s young people to translate online activism into electoral action and announced a major recruitment drive for data protection officers, warning that the country’s democratic and digital future hinges on youth participation.

The appeal came in a speech delivered on behalf of the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, by his Senior Technical Advisor, Dr. Obinna Ebirim, at a National Youth Service Corps community development project focused on Continuous Voter Registration. The event, organized in partnership with the Independent National Electoral Commission, was held in Abuja.

“Democracy does not thrive on silence. It does not grow through indifference or badmouthing your country,” Dr. Ebirim told an audience of youth corps members, INEC officials, and members of the press. “It flourishes when citizens actively participate in shaping the leadership and direction of their country.”

“Your Vote Is Your Voice”
Speaking for Minister Olawande, Dr. Ebirim said the minister wanted to leave young Nigerians with a “simple but powerful message: Your vote is your voice. Your registration is your right. Your participation is your power.”

Nigeria’s population skews young. More than 60 percent of Nigerians are under 35, Dr. Ebirim noted, adding that “the future of our democracy, our governance, and indeed our national development lies firmly in the hands of young people.” Yet, he said, youth turnout at the polls has repeatedly failed to match that demographic weight.

“Many young people are passionate about change and vocal on social media but fewer take the critical step of registering to vote and participating in elections,” he said. “This must change.”

Push to Train 470,000 Data Protection Officers
Beyond voter registration, the ministry disclosed plans for a large-scale youth training drive into data protection roles. According to Dr. Ebirim, the ministry is “driving for recruitment of 470,000 Data Protection Officers.”

There are only 10,000 such officers in the country today, he said, and the Ministry of Youth Development is calling on Youth Corps Members to fill the gap. The Data Protection Training program, listed among the ministry’s existing initiatives, is part of a broader effort to ensure young Nigerians are “informed, engaged, and actively participating in governance,” Dr. Ebirim said.

He described those opportunities as open to youth “eager to seize such opportunities,” framing them as pathways from complaint to contribution. “Move from apathy to participation and from complaining to a solutions-driven mindset and approach,” he said, speaking for the minister.

Commendation for Corps Member’s Initiative
The ministry singled out for praise the convener of the event, Corps Member Magaji Ndagi, who is serving with INEC. Dr. Ebirim, speaking for the minister, called Ndagi’s project “exactly the kind of leadership we hope to see from young Nigerians.”

“At a time when many are waiting for change, you have chosen to be an agent of change. At a time when many are observers, you have chosen to be a participant,” Dr. Ebirim said. “This is the spirit of the National Youth Service Corps; service, leadership, and impact.”

The event’s theme, “Promoting Youth Participation in Democratic Processes,” was described as both timely and relevant. Dr. Ebirim called Continuous Voter Registration “a gateway to civic participation” and “the first step toward ensuring that your voice is heard, your opinion counts, and your future is secured.”

“Leaders of Today”
The ministry used the occasion to list federal youth programs it said were designed to move young Nigerians “from being passive observers to active shapers of our collective future.” Among them: NiYA, HelpDesk, Yo! Health, Waste2Wealth, and Data Protection Training. Dr. Ebirim encouraged attendees to visit the ministry’s website to identify and take advantage of the initiatives.

But he emphasized that government programs alone were insufficient. “Young people need to work with the government. Always think what you can do for your country and not only what your country can do for you,” he said. “The government needs your voice, ideas, and your participation.”

In a series of direct appeals attributed to Minister Olawande, Dr. Ebirim called on young Nigerians to register to vote, encourage peers to do the same, and “participate peacefully and responsibly in the electoral process.”

He also tied youth engagement to the continuity of current reforms. “Ensure you are part of the system that ensures continuity of progressive leadership,” he said. “We cannot afford to lose all the gains of the ongoing reform. We have gone through the pains of the good reforms and started to see some of the gains so let’s not truncate this gains.”

He closed with a refrain that drew applause from corps members in the room: “Let us move from apathy to action. From complaints to contribution. From spectators to stakeholders.”

Dr. Ebirim said the ministry’s goal was to build “a Nigeria where young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow but leaders of today and active participants of today.”

Praise for INEC, Pledge of Support
Dr. Ebirim conveyed the minister’s appreciation to INEC “for their continued efforts in ensuring credible electoral processes in Nigeria and hosting our corps members.”

Speaking for the ministry, he pledged “continued support for initiatives that promote youth engagement, civic responsibility, and national development.”

The event was attended by the INEC National Commissioner, who chaired the session as representative of the INEC Chairman; representatives of the NYSC Director-General and the INEC Secretary; youth corps members; and members of the media.