By By Elizabeth Ugbo
The Federal Government on Wednesday launched the National Poverty Intelligence Lab (NPIL) in Abuja to strengthen the targeting, monitoring and evaluation of poverty reduction programmes across Nigeria. The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, unveiled the platform during a three-day workshop organised in partnership with Innovations for Poverty Action. The initiative aims to provide reliable data, improve accountability and help government agencies reduce poverty among an estimated 140 million Nigerians living below the poverty line.
Government Shifts to Evidence-Based Poverty Reduction
Speaking at the workshop, Doro said Nigeria could no longer depend on assumptions and fragmented interventions to address poverty.
He described the National Poverty Intelligence Lab as the intelligence backbone of the country’s poverty reduction architecture. According to him, the platform will provide data and analytical support for policy formulation, programme implementation, resource allocation and performance assessment.
“For many years, our interventions have been driven by assumptions rather than evidence, sometimes by politics rather than data, and by silos rather than systems,” Doro said.
“The NPIL changes that. It gives us the analytical infrastructure to ask the right questions, find credible answers and hold ourselves accountable for results.”
Supporting the One Humanitarian One Poverty Response System
Doro explained that the lab would support the implementation of the One Humanitarian One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS).
The framework seeks to harmonise humanitarian assistance, social protection programmes and poverty reduction initiatives under one coordinated structure.
According to the minister, the government wants every intervention to move vulnerable households out of poverty permanently.
“Every household we reach through OHOPRS is a household we intend to graduate from vulnerability—not just today but permanently,” he said.
Nigeria Faces Rising Poverty Challenges
Doro noted that recent estimates show about 140 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line.
He acknowledged the scale of the challenge but expressed confidence that the country could overcome it through coordinated action and data-driven governance.
“What this moment demands is not more of the same. It demands systems, intelligence, evidence-driven leadership and coordinated and accountable action,” he added.
Experts Stress Importance of Data
The Senior Technical Adviser to the Minister on Information Systems and Data Analysis, Dr. Abimbola Fasanu, emphasised the role of accurate data in effective governance.
She described data as a strategic national asset rather than a routine administrative requirement.
“Globally, government policies and programmes are informed by data,” Fasanu said.
She explained that the initiative would help government agencies and development partners make informed decisions while measuring programme outcomes more effectively.
Furthermore, Fasanu revealed that the ministry’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Data Systems Diagnostic Exercise would identify institutional strengths, expose operational gaps and provide a roadmap for building an integrated national evidence system.
Partnership to Reduce Poverty and Eliminate Duplication
The Country Representative of Innovations for Poverty Action, Mrs. Fumi Ayeni, welcomed the collaboration with the ministry.
She said the partnership would help policymakers understand the needs of poor and vulnerable populations while reducing duplication across intervention programmes.
“Getting people out of poverty starts with everybody. This collaboration will help policymakers build a legacy that can significantly reduce poverty in Nigeria,” Ayeni said.
She added that the workshop would allow stakeholders to develop strategies for designing and implementing more impactful poverty reduction initiatives.
Why the National Poverty Intelligence Lab Matters
Nigeria has implemented several poverty reduction programmes over the years. These include the National Poverty Eradication Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer schemes, the National Social Investment Programme, N-Power and other humanitarian interventions.
However, poor coordination, weak monitoring systems and inadequate beneficiary data have often limited their effectiveness.
Officials believe the National Poverty Intelligence Lab will address these challenges by providing real-time intelligence, credible evidence and measurable performance indicators.
They also expect the platform to improve transparency, strengthen accountability and ensure that government resources reach the intended beneficiaries.
As economic pressures, inflation and unemployment continue to affect millions of Nigerians, policymakers hope the new platform will help deliver more effective and sustainable poverty reduction outcomes.
