The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to improve agriculture data generation, validation, sharing and analysis.

The partnership aims to support evidence-based financing, policymaking and investment in Nigeria’s agriculture sector.

Speaking at the signing ceremony on Friday in Abuja, NADF executive secretary, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the agreement marked the beginning of a strategic partnership to strengthen the quality and use of agricultural statistics.

He said reliable data remained the foundation of effective agricultural development, planning, programme implementation and impact assessment.

According to him, the collaboration will enable the fund to make better-informed investment decisions and deliver more impactful interventions across the agricultural value chain.

Although NADF was established by an Act of Parliament in 2022, Mr Ibrahim said it had continued to build strategic partnerships to enhance the delivery of its mandate.

He said the collaboration came at a critical time as NADF expanded support for agricultural financing, research, donor coordination and sub-national agricultural development.

“Data is our chief enabler. We want every intervention and investment we make to be guided by credible evidence.

“Working with NBS will strengthen our ability to design programmes that respond to real needs and deliver measurable results,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Adeyemi Adeniran, said the agreement reflected both institutions’ commitment to strengthening the agricultural sector through improved statistics and closer collaboration.

Mr Adeniran said the partnership would establish a common framework for agricultural data exchange, validation and harmonisation to provide policymakers and investors with reliable information.

“Agriculture deserves better data, and together we intend to build it because reliable statistics remain the foundation of good governance, sound planning and effective investment,” he said.

He said the partnership would improve monitoring of agricultural programmes, support investment decisions and enhance national food security by ensuring that evidence rather than assumptions drove key decisions.

Mr Adeniran, also the Statistician-General of the Federation, assured stakeholders that both institutions would maintain the highest standards of data governance and confidentiality in implementing the agreement.

He commended NADF for its growing role in agricultural development and expressed confidence that the partnership would deliver tangible benefits to farmers, policymakers and investors.

Also speaking, Nasir Ingawa of NADF’s partnership and investor relations department said the MoU is the culmination of a productive relationship between the two organisations.

He said the partnership would deepen collaboration and ensure that agricultural interventions were supported by credible, fit-for-purpose data.

 (NAN)