Nigeria

Vision

A Nigeria where resilient, productive, and inclusive agri-food systems drive economic transformation, reduce the cost of living, generate jobs for youth and women, and strengthen climate resilience – supported by evidence-based policy innovations and strong partnerships between government, research institutions, and development partners.

Mission

Nigeria has placed agriculture and food systems at the center of its ambition to achieve inclusive economic transformation and high-income country status. National frameworks such as the National Development Plan (2021–2025), the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) 2022–2027, and the national food systems transformation pathways guide investments aimed at improving productivity, reducing poverty, enhancing nutrition, and building climate resilience.

The Policy Dialogue on Expanding Partnerships for Transformative Impact serves as a bridge between policy, research, and implementation. It provides a platform where policymakers, implementers, researchers, and development partners jointly reflect on existing evidence, identify implementation bottlenecks, and co-create a forward-looking research agenda to support Nigeria’s agri-food system transformation.

The dialogue specifically aims to:

1. Strengthen partnerships between Nigerian institutions and CGIAR policy programs
2. Improve the uptake of existing research evidence in policy and investment decisions
3. Identify priority evidence gaps affecting implementation of agri-food policies
4. Co-develop a research agenda aligned with Nigeria’s policy priorities beyond 2027

Nigeria’s agri-food transformation requires strong national analytical and institutional capacity. The policy dialogue platform supports capacity sharing by connecting national institutions with cutting-edge research tools and policy analytics.

Examples of capacity strengthening and collaboration activities include:

• Policy Evidence and Investment Prioritization: Supporting Nigerian institutions in applying analytical tools and evidence to guide investments in agriculture, climate resilience, and food systems transformation.
• Food Systems Monitoring and Data Systems: Working with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and policy institutions to strengthen food systems data systems, monitoring frameworks, and policy tracking.
• Climate and Agricultural Risk Analytics: Collaborating with institutions such as NiMet and FMAFS to integrate climate information into agricultural planning and resilience strategies.
• Policy Design and Implementation Support: Providing evidence and analytical insights to support the implementation of:
  • NATIP 2022–2027
  • Fertilizer sector reforms
  • Youth agripreneurship programs
  • National food systems transformation pathways
  • CAADP Kampala Declaration domestication (2026–2035)
• Stakeholder Dialogue Platforms: Facilitating structured dialogue between policymakers, researchers, private sector actors, and farmer organizations to ensure policies are informed by implementation realities.

The collaboration focuses on key policy and analytical areas that support Nigeria’s agricultural transformation.

1. Foresight and Investment Prioritization

• Agricultural investment prioritization
• Economy-wide policy modeling
• Food system transformation pathways

2. Market-Led Agricultural Transformation

• Value chain competitiveness
• Private sector participation in agriculture
• Agricultural market development

3. Governance and Political Economy

• Institutional coordination for food security
• Policy implementation challenges
• Agricultural policy coherence

4. Climate, Water, and Food Systems Resilience

• Climate risk and adaptation strategies
• Sustainable water and land use
• Climate-smart agriculture

5. Food Systems Monitoring and Policy Uptake

• Evidence-to-policy pathways
• Monitoring food systems transformation progress
• Strengthening national data systems

6. Social Inclusion, Youth Employment, and Nutrition

• Youth agripreneurship
• Gender-inclusive agricultural growth
• Nutrition-sensitive food systems

Evidence generation and policy engagement are built through partnerships with key Nigerian institutions across government, research, and development sectors.

Government Ministries and Agencies

• Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS)
• Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning
• Presidential Food Security Coordinating Unit (PFSCU)
• National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)
• Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
• Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet)

Policy and Research Institutions

• Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER)
• Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG)
• Policy Innovation Centre (PIC)
• Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN)
• National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC)

Agricultural Research Institutes and Universities

• Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN)
• Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR)
• National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT)
• Nigerian universities and academic institutions

Financial and Private Sector Institutions

• Bank of Agriculture
• Bank of Industry
• Private sector actors in agricultural value chains

Stakeholder and Farmer Organizations

• Farmers’ associations
• Agribusiness platforms
• Agriculture Donor Working Group

International Research Partners

• CGIAR Centers

Success will be measured through the following indicators:

• KPI 1: Evidence Use in Policy: Number of research outputs informing national policies, strategies, or investment decisions related to Nigeria’s agri-food system transformation.
• KPI 2: Policy and Investment Decisions Informed: Number of national programs, strategies, or reforms supported by evidence generated through CGIAR–Nigeria collaboration.
• KPI 3: Institutional Capacity Strengthened: Number of Nigerian institutions strengthened through analytical training, collaborative research, or policy engagement platforms.
• KPI 4: Policy Dialogue and Partnership Outcomes: Number of sustained partnerships, joint research initiatives, and policy dialogues established between Nigerian institutions and CGIAR programs.

Expected Impact

Science-backed policies and strengthened partnerships that accelerate Nigeria’s agri-food system transformation – contributing to economic growth, food security, climate resilience, and sustainable employment.

For additional information about the Policy Innovation Hub in Nigeria you can contact:

• Oliver Kiptto Kirui, Program Lead, IFPRI Nigeria - [email protected]
• Aline Mugisho, Executive Manager, Young Africa Works, IITA - [email protected]