Reliable farm data is often described as the foundation of modern agriculture. It helps farmers decide what to plant, guides policymakers on where support is needed and gives investors the confidence to commit capital. In Nigeria, however, a new study suggests that one of the country’s biggest agricultural challenges may not be production itself but the quality of the information used to make decisions.

A report released by the Nigeria Agribusiness Data and Investment Hub, an initiative of Lagos Business School in partnership with Augmentum Advisory, has revealed that while government institutions control about 70 percent of Nigeria’s agricultural datasets, much of the information available is outdated and insufficient for effective planning, investment and policymaking.

The findings were presented at the launch of the Nigeria Agribusiness Data and Investment Forum in Lagos, where industry stakeholders, government officials and researchers examined the growing gap between the country’s agricultural ambitions and the quality of data available to support them.

Researchers involved in the study argued that fragmented data systems across institutions have weakened Nigeria’s ability to generate the accurate and timely information needed by farmers, agribusinesses and investors. As a result, critical decisions are often made using incomplete, outdated or inconsistent datasets.

The study also identified inadequate funding and manpower as major obstacles to effective data collection, accounting for 56 percent of the challenges reported by data providers.

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According to the research team, no single institution currently possesses the resources required to build and sustain a comprehensive agricultural data ecosystem. They argued that stronger collaboration between government agencies, private sector operators, development organisations and research institutions will be necessary to improve data quality and accessibility.

“No single source can anchor ongoing sustainability. As such, blended models are a necessary opportunity to coordinate across key ecosystem players for efficient resource allocation,” the team stated.

The consequences of poor agricultural data extend beyond statistics.

Speaking at the event, the Dean and Professor of Information Systems at Lagos Business School, Prof. Olayinka David-West, said outdated information continues to affect investment decisions across the agricultural value chain.

She noted that investors often struggle to obtain reliable information about farming locations, infrastructure availability and production potential. In some cases, existing datasets are already several years old and no longer reflect current realities on the ground.

“If somebody wants to invest in cassava and asks where to go and what infrastructure exists, we do not have those answers. Sometimes the data exists but it is already 10 years old,” she said.

For investors seeking opportunities in crops such as cassava, rice or maize, the absence of current information creates uncertainty that can delay or discourage investment altogether. However, some stakeholders argued that the problem goes beyond funding and technical capacity.

Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Abisola Olusanya, said informality remains one of the biggest barriers to building credible agricultural databases.

According to her, many market traders, farmers and operators within the food system are often reluctant to provide accurate information because of concerns about taxation, government interference or potential exploitation.

She explained that even when data collection exercises are conducted, a significant portion of the information provided may be inaccurate because respondents lack confidence in how the data will ultimately be used.

“You can enter markets and collect names and phone numbers, but you may discover that more than half of the information given is incorrect because people are afraid of how the data will be used,” she said.

Olusanya argued that trust and incentives are critical to improving the quality of agricultural data collected across the country.

“People will only give accurate data when they see incentives and confidence in the system. Without that, we are simply on a wild goose chase,” she added.

She also raised concerns about the politicisation of agricultural interventions, arguing that some individuals presented as farmers during government programmes have little or no direct involvement in farming activities.

“We have politicised every sector. Even some people presented as farmers are political farmers. Many association leaders do not own farms, yet they head farmers’ groups because of the benefits attached to intervention programmes,” she said.

The challenge is not limited to crop production. Officials from the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development disclosed that data gaps are also affecting efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s livestock industry.

Director at the ministry, Dr Adeniji Adedeji, said the government is implementing a National Livestock Growth and Acceleration Strategy aimed at increasing the sector’s contribution to gross domestic product to $74 billion over the next decade.

As part of that effort, the ministry has developed a National Livestock Information Management System designed to collect, store and analyse livestock-related data.

However, he acknowledged that obtaining reliable information remains difficult because many state veterinary departments have experienced staff shortages following the retirement of disease surveillance officers who have not been replaced.

He also alleged that some state officials under-report data due to concerns about federal allocation formulas, while some development organisations collect agricultural information without sharing findings with relevant government agencies.

Industry stakeholders believe technology could help address some of these challenges.

Statistician-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics, Dr. Baba Bukar, called for greater investment in state-level data systems and wider adoption of tools such as satellite imagery and mobile data collection technologies.

According to him, evidence-based data systems have already helped Kaduna State identify areas facing food insecurity, allowing resources to be directed more effectively.

The broader concern is that Nigeria’s ambition to transform agriculture into a major driver of economic growth may prove difficult without reliable information.

Meiza Nigeria