June 2025 – DATA Alliance

Borno State Government Includes DATA Alliance in Flood Response Committee

Recognizing our outstanding track record in data-driven emergency planning, the Borno State Government has formally included DATA Alliance in the newly constituted State Flood Response Committee. The inclusion marks a major endorsement of DATA Alliance’s technical expertise in humanitarian response and disaster preparedness.

This initiative comes as Borno State braces for potential flood risks linked to climate variability and environmental degradation as projected by NiMet— a growing concern in the Lake Chad Basin. The Committee, led by the Borno State Agency for the coordination of sustainable development and Humanitarian Response under the able leadership of Dr. Mairo Mandara composed of key state partners including, state MDAs, humanitarian agencies, and civil society organizations, will coordinate preparedness, response, and recovery strategies for at-risk communities.

DATA Alliance alongside the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) will provide technical support in:

Risk Mapping and Flood Modeling
Community Vulnerability Assessments
Real-Time Data Collection using Digital Tools
Impact Monitoring and Evaluation
Policy Advisory for Risk Reduction

“This collaboration reaffirms our commitment to supporting state-led, data-informed disaster response,” said Sulaiman Badamasi. “We aim to strengthen early warning systems, integrate local data, and empower communities to act before disaster strikes.”

The organization will also support capacity-building for local emergency response units and community volunteers, ensuring that data collection and use are embedded at every level of the response chain.

With the slogan “Empowering Decisions, Driving Impact,” DATA Alliance continues to serve as a catalyst for turning complex data into actionable strategies that protect lives and enhance resilience in vulnerable regions.

The Role of Data in Humanitarian Response: Turning Crisis into Actionable Insight

In the face of humanitarian crises — from natural disasters to conflict-induced displacement — timely and accurate data is more than just information. It is a lifesaving asset.

DATA Alliance, a pioneer national partner in evidence-based solutions for sustainable development, emphasizes that data must be central to all phases of humanitarian response, from early warning and preparedness to recovery and resilience building.

Data plays several critical roles in humanitarian contexts:

Needs Assessment: Rapid data collection enables responders to understand the scope of crises and prioritize aid.
Resource Allocation: Real-time data analytics help target limited resources to the most vulnerable populations.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Continual data flow ensures programs remain effective and accountable.
Risk Reduction and Resilience: Longitudinal data help identify trends and inform preventive strategies.

“Without data, humanitarian response risks being reactive and misaligned. With the right data, we can save lives and build back stronger,” noted Sulaiman Badamasi.

DATA Alliance plans to support partners in North-East Nigeria and Northwest Nigeria by deploying mobile-based surveys, geospatial mapping, and vulnerability indexing tools to ensure humanitarian actors reach the most affected populations efficiently. The organization has trained a team of volunteers on data ethics, protection, and interpretation, reinforcing local capacity.

The integration of gender, age, and disability-disaggregated data remains a top priority, ensuring inclusivity in emergency planning and response. As humanitarian needs grow more complex, DATA Alliance calls for stronger data governance and collaboration among stakeholders to foster accountability, transparency, and results.

DATA Alliance Joins Disability Working Group: Advancing Inclusive Development Through Data

In a significant step toward promoting inclusive and equitable development, DATA Alliance has officially joined the Disability Working Group (DWG) — a multi-stakeholder platform committed to advancing the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities across humanitarian and development contexts.

This strategic move aligns with DATA Alliance’s core mission: “to strengthen the capacity of stakeholders through innovative data solutions, research, and training, enabling them to address complex development and humanitarian challenges effectively and achieve measurable impact.”

By joining the DWG, DATA Alliance will contribute its expertise in capacity building, data collection, analytics, and inclusive research methodologies to ensure that persons with disabilities are accurately represented in data and decision-making processes.

“Our inclusion in the Disability Working Group reflects our commitment to evidence-based, inclusive development,” said Safianu Ado Ibrahim, Senior Technical Advisor of DATA Alliance. “We are excited to support data-driven strategies that ensure no one is left behind, especially those most often excluded.”

Through collaboration with government bodies, NGOs, and OPDs (Organizations of Persons with Disabilities), DATA Alliance will help develop tools and frameworks to integrate disability-disaggregated data into program planning, monitoring, and policy development. This includes supporting capacity-building efforts to improve data literacy around disability issues among humanitarian and development actors.