Overview
Nigeria’s public sector is deeply fragmented. Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) across federal and state levels often operate in silos, with limited coordination in the collection, sharing, and use of data. This disjointed approach undermines efficient service delivery and poses a significant barrier to realizing the country’s development goals, especially around gender equality and inclusion.
In a context where access to healthcare, education, social protection, and justice is already unequal, the absence of interoperable systems compounds the exclusion of women, girls, and persons with disabilities. Yet, across the world, countries are showing how interoperability (the ability of different systems to connect, communicate, and share data securely) can transform governance, close gender gaps, and improve development outcomes[1].
This became especially clear during the recent National Dialogue on Data Interoperability organized by the Dataphyte Foundation, where stakeholders emphasized how siloed systems obstruct inclusive service delivery. As someone committed to gender equity, I was struck by how these data gaps deepen exclusion, prompting this deeper reflection on interoperability as a pathway to gender-responsive governance
In Nigeria, the consequences of operating in data silos are visible in every sector. Health facilities struggle to track maternal health outcomes across states, ministries lack a clear picture of gender-based violence trends, and education systems are unable to follow a girl’s learning journey from enrollment to completion. These gaps are not just technical; they reflect governance choices. Interoperable systems can connect these dots by enabling MDAs to align data, policies, and programs across levels of government. This is especially vital in a federal system where responsibilities are shared across tiers, and coordination is crucial for inclusive development.
Case Points for Interoperability
Around the world, several countries offer models of how interoperability drives efficiency and gender responsiveness. Estonia’s pioneering X-Road platform enables them secure, real time data exchange across public and private institutions while maintaining citizen privacy[2]. The system supports parental leave management, medical records, tax filing, and social support delivery, all while ensuring women and men benefit equitably from services. In Chile, the Registro Social de Hogares (Social Household Registry) consolidates household level data from over 30 agencies to identify and support the most vulnerable populations, with a clear emphasis on female headed households and informal workers, many of whom are women[3]. Rwanda mandates every ministry to submit Gender Budget Statements annually, supported by interoperable planning systems that monitor gender outcomes in real time[4]. And in India, the Aadhaar digital ID system has helped expand access to financial services for rural women through direct benefit transfers, although it also presents cautionary lessons about digital exclusion risks if safeguards are not applied[5].
These countries show what is possible when data systems are intentionally designed to serve all — including the most marginalized. Nigeria has the potential to replicate and even surpass these successes. The legal foundation is already in place. For instance, the National Gender Policy (2006) mandates the collection and use of sex-disaggregated data for planning[6]. Likewise, the Gender Budgeting Guidelines direct Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to integrate gender into budget formulation.
While these guidelines provide a foundational framework for incorporating gender into fiscal processes, Boosting Nigeria’s Gender Equality: Public Finance and Policy Strategies — A Practical Guide on Gender-Responsive Budgeting and Auditing in Nigeria builds on them by offering practical tools, legal mappings, and tailored strategies to support MDAs and oversight actors in implementing gender-responsive budgeting and auditing across all tiers of government[7]. Other legislative frameworks also affirm this commitment. The Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act (2018) mandates inclusive planning and data reporting[8]. Similarly, both the Child Rights Act (2003) and the National Health Act (2014) embed principles of gender and child sensitivity[9].
What remains missing, however, is the coordination and data interoperability required to operationalize these frameworks and deliver inclusive, accountable governance. Interoperability is especially powerful when applied through a gender and disability lens. In health, linking systems between the NHIS (National Health Insurance Scheme), NPHCDA (National Primary Health Care Development Agency), and state level data platforms can allow government to monitor maternal health outcomes, access to family planning, and barriers faced by women with disabilities seeking care. At the community level, primary health data can be integrated to track service uptake among rural women and adolescent girl’s populations frequently left out of national databases. In education, connecting data between UBEC (Universal Basic Education Commission) state ministries, and examination boards enables tracking girls’ retention and performance, as well as attendance trends among children with disabilities. This can inform policies to reduce dropout, especially due to early pregnancy, child marriage, or inaccessible school infrastructure.
A unified, interoperable social protection registry like Chile’s could transform how Nigeria targets support to poor households, particularly female headed households, widows, and caregivers of persons with disabilities. Instead of fragmented interventions, a consolidated data system could ensure that cash transfers, food programs, and micro loans reach those most in need, with clarity on who is being served and who is being left behind. Employment and skills training systems can also benefit from this If the Ministry of Labour’s employment database is interoperable with the Ministries of Women Affairs and Youth Development, Nigeria can better track gender participation in vocational programs and support inclusive job creation schemes.
In the justice sector, interoperable systems can improve responses to gender-based violence. Currently, police, hospitals, shelters, and social services collect data in isolation, making it difficult to support survivors or prosecute offenders. Integrated platforms would allow for case tracking, survivor support coordination, and real-time monitoring, essential in a country where GBV remains widespread and underreported. For persons with disabilities, interoperability allows government to collect both gender and disability disaggregated data, helping to plan accessible services in education, healthcare, housing, and transport.
Possible Barriers
Despite the potential, several barriers stand in the way. These include lack of standardized data protocols across MDAs, poor infrastructure at the subnational level, low technical capacity, and political resistance to data transparency. Privacy and data protection are also real concerns, especially where sensitive data, such as GBV survivors, people living with HIV, or children are involved. However, these challenges are not insurmountable. A national interoperability framework, coordinated by the National Digital Economy and e-Government Steering Committee under the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) can provide the enabling architecture for secure, gender- and disability-responsive data integration across MDAs.”
MDAs can be mandated to adopt sex- and disability-disaggregated indicators. The National Population Commission, National Bureau of Statistics, and National Planning Commission can play coordinating roles. Civil society and Supreme Audit Institutions can ensure accountability for example, by embedding gender indicators into performance audits, as recommended by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI)10.
Public sector reforms are ultimately about delivering results to the people. Nigeria cannot afford to waste resources building fragmented, duplicative systems that fail to reach the most marginalized. Data interoperability is not just about efficiency; it is about justice. When systems are designed to include women, girls, and persons with disabilities from the start, governance becomes more equitable, responsive, and inclusive. To truly move from silos to synergy, Nigeria must build a data ecosystem where systems speak to each other and where every citizen, regardless of gender or ability, is counted, visible, and served.
Article written by:
Favour Sunday – Program Officer at PLSI