Nigeria Launches Sub-National Food Systems Dashboard for Informed Policy and National Development

By Iyojo Ameh

The Federal Government has taken a significant step by launching the Sub-National Food Systems Dashboard, a vital tool aimed at shaping policy decisions and evaluating the progress of Nigeria’s food system transformation for national development.

Sen. Sabi Aliyu-Abdullahi, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, made this announcement during the event held in Abuja.

He highlighted the dashboard’s role in facilitating the transformation of food systems in each state of Nigeria and providing valuable insights and actionable priorities for all stakeholders.

Aliyu-Abdullahi emphasized that this dashboard is more than just a repository for data; it’s a catalyst for positive change.

It’s designed to guide policymakers and businesses at both national and subnational levels, ensuring that decisions are well-informed and contribute to enhancing food systems. Additionally, it empowers civil society to hold various actors accountable.

The dashboard is also set to become a unified database for researchers, both local and international, enabling further studies that strengthen the evidence base for future policy-making.

Furthermore, it will serve as a platform for fostering collaboration and synergy among different components of the food system. It’s linked to the global food system dashboard, analyzing data from both public and private sources within Nigeria and globally.

The dashboard boasts 99 meticulously chosen indicators, offering a comprehensive view of Nigeria’s food system at all levels. It provides a list of recommended policy actions and decisions for each state, based on a thorough diagnosis of the data it collects. These actions have the potential to improve food systems and advance national development efforts.

In a proactive move, the government has already developed food system profiles for some states. These profiles will be instrumental in advocacy efforts aimed at engaging key decision-makers in transforming Nigeria’s food system. They will also serve as a map for identifying emerging business opportunities and potential areas for investment in food system transformation.

Key indicators from the dashboard, such as the cost and affordability of healthy diets and diet policies, have been adopted to improve nutrition and food security in the country.

Dr. Micheal Ojo, Country Director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Nigeria, praised the dashboard as a critical evidence-based policy tool for food system transformation. He noted that it would benefit business leaders and entrepreneurs, enabling them to identify investment opportunities and innovations while improving financing mechanisms.

The dashboard will not only provide information for baseline studies and reports but will also empower policymakers to identify and prioritize interventions needed to transform the country’s food systems without disrupting market dynamics in Nigeria. Additionally, it will offer researchers, academics, and students easy access to comprehensive data to identify and analyze insights and emerging trends in the country’s food system.