The main objective of this research programme is to constantly monitor developments in agricultural, economic, social, political, physical, human resources and technological aspects of the Nigerian society with a view to identifying potential problems around which anticipatory policy-oriented research expected of NISER can be organised. So far, the following development indicators have been operationalised and are being measured:

• Agriculture and Rural Development focusing on Agricultural Production
  
  
• Technology Development focusing on National System of Technological
  Innovations.
  
  
• Economic Development focusing on Business Conditions, Experience and Expectations.
  
  
• Human Resources Development focusing on Human resources development and utilization.
  
  
• Physical Development focusing on National Index of Building Starts.
  
  
• Social Development focusing on Quality of Life.
  
  
• Political Development focusing on Political Integration and Identity.
  
  Annually, the reports of each of these monitoring research programmes are published and policy memoranda are developed for submission to the relevant agencies of Government and other stakeholders.