Biography

Sanjo Faniran is the current National Convenor for the implementation of the UN initiated Food Systems Transformation pathways for Nigeria. His experience spanned serving as a Technical Adviser to the first National Convenor for United Food System summit for Nigeria, Olusola Idowu, who retired from the Service of Government in 2022 as the Permanent Secretary Budget and National Planning. Faniran had his B.Sc in Demography and Social Statistics at Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria, M. Sc. University of Lagos, commenced his Ph. D briefly from the University of Ibadan and later completed at the University of Abuja. He was the Head of the Unit that coordinated the activities and worked with all United Nations Organisations in Nigeria on behalf of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, from 2013 – 2020. He also served as the Partners Country Coordinator (PCC) of Partners in Population and Development’s (PPD) a south-south cooperation of 27-member alliance countries representing Nigeria from 2013 - 2022. He is currently the Director Social Development Coordinating Food and Nutrition, Environment and Regional development as well as Human Capital sectors. He was the Deputy Chair of the Board of International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) representing Nigeria from February 2021 to January 2022.

Faniran is a pioneer presenter of Conference papers showcasing good practices in Electronic Governance in Nigeria from 2007-2013 after participating at the one week workshop on theory and practice of electronic governance in the public sector in 2006. He attended several international trainings/Workshops including Regional Institute for Technology (RITI), Cairo Egypt; United Nations Statistical Institute for Asia and Pacific (UNSIAP) Japan; IMA International Training Institute, UK; Harvard Business School, Boston among others. Faniran has represented and presented seminars and workshops at several forums both in and outside Nigeria. He is the supervising Director for the coordination of the Federal Government of Nigeria/World Bank programme/project on Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN). He also served as coordinating Director for the Nutrition 774 in the Ministry. He is currently a Board member of the Alliance for Local Food and Nutrition Supply Chains. He is happily married with children.