The Federal Government has unveiled the National Poverty Intelligence Lab (NPIL), a new initiative designed to improve how Nigeria measures, understands and responds to poverty through data-driven decision-making.
Speaking at the launch during a three-day workshop in Abuja, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, said the initiative would accelerate reforms aimed at transforming the country’s poverty reduction strategy and ensuring interventions produce measurable results.
The workshop, organised by the ministry in partnership with Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), focuses on equipping stakeholders with the tools and knowledge required to effectively use the new intelligence platform.
According to the minister, Nigeria faces one of the world’s most complex poverty challenges, largely due to decades of accumulated social and economic issues. He said the Federal Government is determined to ensure that policies and programmes targeted at poor and vulnerable Nigerians achieve lasting impact.
Doro explained that the National Poverty Intelligence Lab will serve as the intelligence backbone of Nigeria’s poverty reduction architecture by providing reliable data to guide policy decisions, monitor outcomes and improve coordination among government agencies and development partners.
He said the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda by shifting the government’s focus from temporary relief measures to sustainable pathways that help households permanently overcome poverty.
The minister added that every household supported through the One Humanitarian One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS) is expected to move beyond vulnerability and achieve long-term economic stability.
He stressed that poverty cannot be effectively addressed through assumptions or isolated interventions, noting that coordinated planning, accountability and evidence-based policies are essential to achieving meaningful results.
According to him, the combination of the OHOPRS and the NPIL will help move Nigeria from fragmented poverty interventions to an integrated system that delivers measurable outcomes and promotes sustainable development.
Doro described the establishment of the NPIL as a major governance, accountability and systems reform that will strengthen the country’s overall poverty reduction framework.
He reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to implementing programmes that not only reduce poverty but also improve the long-term welfare of Nigerians.
Explaining the importance of the OHOPRS, the minister said poverty and vulnerability are interconnected challenges that require coordinated responses rather than isolated programmes.
He noted that the system provides a common framework that enables government institutions, development partners, humanitarian organisations and civil society groups to work together using shared objectives, integrated data and measurable performance indicators.
Speaking at the event, the Country Representative of Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), Mrs. Fumi Ayeni, said the partnership is focused on understanding the real needs of poor and vulnerable Nigerians while reducing duplication in poverty intervention programmes.
She added that evidence-based policymaking will help government institutions design more effective programs and create a lasting legacy in the fight against poverty.
For MSMEs and entrepreneurs, improved poverty targeting and better coordination of government interventions could expand access to business support programs, skills development initiatives and economic empowerment opportunities for vulnerable households.