Nigeria Launches National Digital Farmers Registry to Strengthen Food Security

The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched a National Stakeholder Workshop on Best Practices for the National Digital Farmers Registry, marking a major step toward harmonising farmer data and improving agricultural planning. The initiative is implemented under the FG–IFAD Digital Innovation Action Plan.

Speaking at the event, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, CON, reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR’s directive to end duplication and inconsistencies in farmer records. He announced that the new registry will be anchored on the National Identification Number (NIN) in

partnership with NIMC, with strong data protection and cybersecurity safeguards developed alongside the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The digital registry will include geo-tagging of farmers and farmlands, enabling transparency, eliminating ghost beneficiaries, and ensuring targeted delivery of inputs, extension services, credit, and insurance. According to the Ministry, the unified platform will also support early warning systems, financial access, digital advisory tools, and climate-smart planning.

The project aligns with the African Union’s CAADP framework and the Kampala Declaration on strengthening digital and data systems for agricultural transformation. A joint IFAD–Heifer International policy dialogue earlier this year underscored the urgent need for Nigeria to harmonise fragmented farmer databases.

Senator Kyari also inaugurated a Multi-Stakeholder Knowledge-Sharing Platform to support ongoing collaboration among government agencies, development partners, private sector stakeholders, academia, and farmers’ organisations.