The Nigeria Strategy Support Program (NSSP) Abuja Office of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) began its operation in 2007 supporting works for strengthening evidence-based policymaking in Nigeria in the areas of rural and agricultural development. IFPRI-NSSP works closely with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS formerly Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, FMARD) and supports the implementation of Nigeria’s national development plans by strengthening agricultural- sector policies and strategies. This is in addition to providing evidence-based research outputs to support and guide the development agenda of international development partners working to promote pro-poor policies in Nigeria.
The IFPRI-NSSP employs a participatory stakeholder approach to achieve these objectives through:
Enhanced knowledge, information, data, and tools for the analysis, design, and implementation of pro-poor, gender-sensitive, and environmentally sustainable agricultural and rural development polices and strategies in Nigeria;
Strengthened capacity for government agencies, research institutions, and other stakeholders to carry out and use applied research that directly informs agricultural and rural polices and strategies; and
Improved communication linkages and consultations between policymakers, policy analysts, and policy beneficiaries on agricultural and rural development policy issues.
Like other Country Strategy Support Program (CSSPs), the Nigeria Strategy Support Program focuses on such research themes as agricultural finance, agricultural transformation, conflicts and migration, markets and trade, livelihoods and nutrition, resilience and development strategies, climate change, and governance and political economy of food systems. In the coming years (2025 – 2030), NSSP will focus on addressing several in-country development challenges through the implementation of the CGIAR research portfolios and other bilateral projects.
The Nigeria Strategy Support Program (NSSP) in addition to its in-country expertise, draws from IFPRI pool of globally renowned experts with extensive expertise in several development fields and capacity strengthening to provide evidence-based solutions to development issues in Nigeria.
NSSP current research activities include those within bilateral and the new CGIAR Science Programs portfolios:
- Policy Innovation Program (PIP)
- Scaling for Impacts (S4I)
- Irrigation Technology Suitability Mapping & Tools
- MasterCard Foundation Youth and Gender Survey
- UAE/BMGF Future Food Systems – Nigeria
- Better Diets and Nutrition (BDN)
- WFP Food Systems Mapping
