Oyo, ILO Seek Improved Data Sharing For Social Protection

The Oyo State Government and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have called for stronger collaboration among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to improve data governance and enhance the delivery of social protection programmes across the state.

The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Oluwaseun Ojo, made the call during a two-day workshop on Strengthening Data Governance for the Social Protection Management Information System (SP-MIS), held in Ibadan.

Ojo, represented by the Director of Social Protection Coordination, Hadi Olanase, said reliable data and effective information management were essential to ensuring that government interventions reached those who needed them most.

Olanase said the workshop would help translate assessment findings into practical measures to improve data quality, security, information sharing and interoperability among government systems.

He urged participating MDAs and Management Information System (MIS) officers to share experiences, identify challenges and propose sustainable solutions to strengthen social protection data governance in the state.

In his welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Julius Ayanleke, represented by the Deputy Director of Social Protection, Jimoh Adeleke, emphasised the importance of data sharing among MDAs to improve beneficiary identification, accountability and social protection delivery.

He urged stakeholders to protect beneficiaries’ personal information in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

Also speaking, the ILO National Project Officer–SUSI, Benedict Obute, who represented the ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Dr Vanessa Phala, stressed the need for coordinated and interoperable data systems to improve social protection delivery and reduce data fragmentation.

ActionAid Nigeria ESSPIN Programme Officer, Abidemi Ewuyemi, in her goodwill message, highlighted the importance of the National Social Register in identifying vulnerable households and informing policies.

She reaffirmed ActionAid’s commitment to strengthening social protection in Oyo State.