Nigeria, June 25 -- Policy experts and researchers have urged the Nigerian government to urgently apply social cohesion data in the formulation and implementation of national policies, warning that persistent disunity, deepening distrust in public institutions, and systemic inequality are undermining the country's development efforts.

The call was made on Tuesday at a capacity-building workshop hosted in Abuja by the Africa Polling Institute (API), an independent opinion research think tank, with support from the Ford Foundation.

The workshop was themed: "The Use of Social Cohesion Data in Enhancing National Policies and Programmes and Promoting Effective Media Reportage."

Speaking at the event, Bell Ihua, Executive Director of API, sa...