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With research staff from more than 70 countries, and offices across the globe, IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

researcher spotlight

Kinya Kaibung’a

Kinya Kaibung’a is a Research Officer with the Development Strategies and Governance Unit, based in Nairobi, Kenya. She has a keen interest in leveraging machine learning, AI, and other cutting-edge technologies to boost climate resilience and food security in smart agriculture systems.

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Since 1975, IFPRI’s research has been informing policies and development programs to improve food security, nutrition, and livelihoods around the world.

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experts

Oliver Kiptoo Kirui

Research Fellow and Acting Program Leader, Nigeria

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Bio

Oliver Kiptoo Kirui is a Research Fellow and Acting Program Leader for Nigeria in the Development Strategies and Governance Unit, based in Abuja, Nigeria, where he supports the development of research-based policy solutions; coalition-building for policy change; co-creating innovative analytical tools in close collaboration with several partners.

Oliver conducts and supports research related to several policy-relevant topics including agricultural and economic transformation, markets and trade, livelihoods and nutrition, development strategy and investment planning, and resilience of agriculture under climate change and extreme weather events. He is experienced in managing and conducting evidence-based research, building coalitions and working with multiple stakeholders, and conceptualizing, conducting, and communicating research outputs to various audiences.

Prior to joining IFPRI, Oliver worked as a Senior Researcher and Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Germany, and as a Research Associate at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). He received his PhD in Development Economics from the University of Bonn.

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Publications

Resource thumbnail

Blog Post

Nigeria’s fuel, fertilizer, and food prices feel the strain of the Iran conflict

2026Kirui, Oliver Kiptoo; Fasoranti, Adetunji; Bamiwuye, Temilolu; Balana, Bedru; Glauber, Joseph; Hebebrand, Charlotte; Omamo, Steven Were
Details

Nigeria’s fuel, fertilizer, and food prices feel the strain of the Iran conflict

Nigeria is once again under economic pressure from a shock that originated far from its borders, as it faces high global fuel and fertilizer prices triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. For a country still recovering from the inflationary aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine war, the timing could hardly be worse. The shock is reaching Nigeria through three tightly linked channels, fuel, fertilizer, and food, and it threatens to reverse a hard-won decline in food inflation.

Year published

2026

Authors

Kirui, Oliver Kiptoo; Fasoranti, Adetunji; Bamiwuye, Temilolu; Balana, Bedru; Glauber, Joseph; Hebebrand, Charlotte; Omamo, Steven Were

Citation

Kirui, Oliver Kiptoo; Fasoranti, Adetunji; Bamiwuye, Temilolu; Balana, Bedru; Glauber, Joseph; Hebebrand, Charlotte; Omamo, Steven Were. 2026. Nigeria’s fuel, fertilizer, and food prices feel the strain of the Iran conflict. IFPRI Blog Post. https://www.ifpri.org/blog/nigerias-fuel-fertilizer-and-food-prices-feel-the-strain-of-the-iran-conflict/

Country/Region

Nigeria

Keywords

Iran; Western Africa; Africa; Middle East; Northern Africa; Food Access; Food Prices; Markets; Value Chains

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Blog Post

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Blog Post

The hunger crisis is set to get worse in West and Central Africa—why and what to do about it

2026Kirui, Oliver Kiptoo; Nwagboso, Chibuzo
Details

The hunger crisis is set to get worse in West and Central Africa—why and what to do about it

Countries in West and Central Africa are facing a food crisis with multiple causes. Estimates in late December 2025 suggested that 41.8 million people were already in crisis or worse in October-December 2025. The number was expected to rise to 52.8 million in June-August 2026. IFPRI researchers Oliver Kiptoo Kirui and Chibuzo Nwagboso explain how serious the situation is.

Year published

2026

Authors

Kirui, Oliver Kiptoo; Nwagboso, Chibuzo

Citation

Kirui, Oliver Kiptoo; Nwagboso, Chibuzo. 2026. The hunger crisis is set to get worse in West and Central Africa—why and what to do about it. IFPRI Blog Post. https://www.ifpri.org/blog/the-hunger-crisis-is-set-to-get-worse-in-west-and-central-africa-why-and-what-to-do-about-it/

Keywords

Africa; Western Africa; Food Access; Fragility; Conflicts; Climate Change

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Blog Post

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Blog Post

How school meals are transforming education in Zamfara State, Nigeria

2026Kirui, Oliver Kiptoo; Nwagboso, Chibuzo; Maidawa, Asabe; Ololade, Aisha
Details

How school meals are transforming education in Zamfara State, Nigeria

Key takeaways • A state-sponsored school meal program is boosting enrollment and attendance in Zamfara , giving children a strong incentive to come to school. • School meals support communities , creating income for local women and strengthening local food systems. • Scaling the program will require better infrastructure, monitoring, and consistent funding to reach more children—especially the hardest-to-reach.

Year published

2026

Authors

Kirui, Oliver Kiptoo; Nwagboso, Chibuzo; Maidawa, Asabe; Ololade, Aisha

Citation

Kirui, Oliver Kiptoo; Nwagboso, Chibuzo; Maidawa, Asabe; Ololade, Aisha. 2026. How school meals are transforming education in Zamfara State, Nigeria. IFPRI Blog Post. https://www.ifpri.org/blog/how-school-meals-are-transforming-education-in-zamfara-state-nigeria/

Country/Region

Nigeria

Keywords

Western Africa; Africa; Nutrition; Social Protection

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Blog Post

Blogs

Nigeria's fuel, fertilizer, and food prices feel the strain of the Iran conflict
Issue Post
 | 
June 22, 2026

Nigeria’s fuel, fertilizer, and food prices feel the strain of the Iran conflict

By Oliver Kiptoo Kirui, Adetunji Fasoranti, Temilolu Bamiwuye, Bedru Balana, Joseph Glauber, Charlotte Hebebrand, and Steven Were Omamo

A major energy producer faces complex impacts.

The hunger crisis is set to get worse in West and Central Africa—why and what to do about it
Issue Post
 | 
April 02, 2026

The hunger crisis is set to get worse in West and Central Africa—why and what to do about it

By Oliver Kiptoo Kirui and Chibuzo Nwagboso

Chronic problems of climate change, conflict, and fragile safety nets.

How school meals are transforming education in Zamfara State, Nigeria
Research Post
 | 
March 27, 2026

How school meals are transforming education in Zamfara State, Nigeria

By Oliver Kiptoo Kirui, Chibuzo Nwagboso, Asabe Maidawa, and Aisha Ololade

Scaling up a promising program.

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Events

8th African Conference of Agricultural Economists (ACAE)
September 22 to 25, 2026

8th African Conference of Agricultural Economists (ACAE)

IFPRI is pleased to support the upcoming 8th African Conference of Agricultural Economists (8th ACAE), scheduled for 22–25 September 2026 at the Mövenpick Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. ACAE is a premier continental gathering focused on advancing agricultural economics through innovation, digital transformation, and strengthened trade systems. Anchored on the theme “Smart Agriculture: Innovation, Digital Transformation, […]

African Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2026
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

August 31 to September 4, 2026

African Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2026

The Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) will host its 20th Annual Summit in Kigali, Rwanda from 31 August to 4 September 2026, under the theme “Investing in Africa’s Agri-Food Systems: Nourishing Nations, Growing Jobs, Building Resilience.” The Summit will bring together stakeholders from across the agri-food sector for a programme of plenary sessions, technical discussions, […]

Three Years of Conflict: What the Evidence Tells Us and What Recovery Requires
Series/Special Event

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April 14 to 15, 2026

Three Years of Conflict: What the Evidence Tells Us and What Recovery Requires

April 2026 marks three years since the outbreak of the conflict in Sudan, which has severely disrupted economic activity, food systems, and social services. More than half of the country’s population is in need of assistance, and communities, markets, and institutions are under unprecedented pressure.

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News

June 04, 2026 | In the News

Zamfara transforming education through school meals — IFPRI, WFP (Vanguard News, The Punch)

Vanguard News and The Punch (Nigeria) highlight findings from a recent IFPRI and World Food Programme (WFP) assessment of Zamfara State’s school feeding program, launched in 2025 to address persistent education challenges linked to poverty, insecurity, and weak infrastructure. The articles quote a recent IFPRI piece by Oliver Kiptoo Kirui, Chibuzo Nwagboso, Asabe Maidawa, and […]

April 14, 2026 | Press Release

New IFPRI book documents the impacts of Sudan’s conflict and identifies evidence‑based pathways to recovery

The book is being launched today in Cairo on the opening day of the conference “Three Years of Conflict: What the Evidence Tells Us and What Recovery Requires.”

March 24, 2026 | In the News

Middle East conflict and food security in Africa (BBC)

This issue of BBC’s “Focus on Africa” looks at how the conflict in the Middle East is affecting the supply of fertilizer on the African continent–with insights from Oliver Kirui, IFPRI Research Fellow and Acting Country Program Leader for Nigeria and Ghana.

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Research

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