Adeyemi Adeniran, Statistician-General of the Federation, said this at the 1st Bi-Annual Meeting of the National Consultative Committee on Statistics (NCCS), on Wednesday in Kano.
The theme of the meeting is: “Unlocking Data Dividends for National Development: Advancing Administrative Statistics and Data-Driven Governance.”
Adeniran said that Nigeria needs a statistical system capable of transforming data from different sources into reliable evidence for better decisions and improved development outcomes.
He said that the committee is one of the statutory mechanisms established under the Statistics Act of 2007, to effectively coordinate the National Statistical System, with NBS serving as its coordinator.
According to Adeniran, the meeting provides an opportunity for members to examine prevailing issues in the global statistical system, review ongoing and planned statistical activities, resolve concerns and strengthen partnerships among data-producing institutions.
He said that digital, telecommunications, financial and geospatial data were increasingly reshaping the understanding of the Nigeria’s economy and society beyond census, surveys and administrative records.
“The question before us is therefore no longer simply whether data exists, but whether we can access, trust, integrate, analyse, protect it and, most importantly, turn it into evidence that improves decisions and people’s lives,” he said.
Adeniran said that the bureau was working toward evolving a modern statistical system that reflects emerging global trends and users’ growing demand for impactful and inclusive data.
He said that Nigeria had joined initiatives such as the Power of Data High Impact Initiative, Make Inclusive Data the Norm (MIDN) Initiative, and the Inclusive Data Charter as part of efforts to strengthen the national statistical system.
The NBS, he said, also completed the Ward Enumeration Exercise under the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, coordinated by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
On the theme of the meeting, Adeniran said that data should no longer be viewed merely as an output but as an asset capable of generating value for the country.
He said that the value of data could be seen in better policies, effective planning and resource allocation, stronger accountability and improved understanding of the economy and society.
The NBS helmsman stressed that administrative data generated daily by schools, hospitals, tax authorities, immigration and security institutions, courts and businesses could complement surveys and censuses if properly managed, standardised and quality-assured.
He emphasised the need for data-driven governance, adding that statistics would have limited value if not used to guide government decisions.
“Data-driven governance means that evidence should increasingly guide how the government identifies priorities, designs policies, allocates resources and measures results,” he said.
He urged members of the committee to strengthen collaboration, treat administrative records as a strategic national resource, embrace innovation, uphold professional standards and invest in human capacity.
Mrs Kemi Nandap, Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), said that the service occupied a critical position in national administrative data collection because every passport issued, visa processed and entry or exit recorded at the nation’s borders generated data relevant to national development.
Nandap was represented by the Deputy Comptroller-General, D.M. Bagari.
“Immigration data could support policy planning in areas including foreign direct investment, labour migration, tourism, population estimates and national identity management.
“Data generated in isolation loses its power. To truly unlock data dividends, administrative statistics must be standardised, harmonised, and integrated into the National Statistical System,” she said.
She pledged to strengthen partnership with NBS and other NCCS member agencies towards securing data-sharing frameworks that comply with the Nigeria Data Protection Act.
Also, Gov. Abba Yusuf, described credible data as essential to development planning.
Represented by Umar Ibrahim, Secretary to the State Government, Yusuf said that governments at all levels reqiured reliable information to determine the needs and priorities of the citizens.
According to Yusuf, effective planning requires knowing where people are, what they need and priority areas.
He described the meeting as an important platform for statisticians and stakeholders to strengthen application of data in planning and development.
The governor reiterated commitment to support initiatives aimed at improving quality and availability of data for effective planning and service delivery.”