Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for urgent reforms to Nigeria’s population and statistical data systems, warning that outdated and unreliable data could undermine effective planning and development.
Shettima made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the third International Conference and Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Chartered Institute of Statisticians of Nigeria (CISON).
Represented by his Technical Assistant, Fred Eklaga, the Vice President said credible statistics were essential for effective governance, economic planning, public accountability and sound investment decisions.
He identified outdated population figures, fragmented information systems, inadequate measurement of informal economic activities and limited agricultural statistics as major challenges requiring urgent attention.
Shettima noted that Nigeria’s last national population census was conducted in 2006, leaving policymakers to rely heavily on estimates and projections for planning, resource allocation and development programmes.
He stressed that government policies and economic reforms must be supported by reliable data capable of accurately measuring changes in poverty, employment, education, healthcare, infrastructure and other areas of national development.
According to him, poor-quality data could lead government to mistake expenditure for achievement and activity for productivity, making accurate statistics critical to assessing whether policies are delivering the desired results.
The Vice President also called for stronger agricultural data covering crop yields, cultivated land, livestock, storage, post-harvest losses and market prices, saying such information would support food security and enable authorities to anticipate potential shortages.
He further encouraged the use of big data and artificial intelligence in forecasting and planning, while stressing that emerging technologies would only produce useful results when built on accurate and reliable information.
Shettima said the Federal Government would work towards strengthening the National Bureau of Statistics, improving state statistical agencies and digitising administrative records.
He also urged the Chartered Institute of Statisticians of Nigeria to strengthen professional standards, improve data quality and expand training in modern statistical methods, artificial intelligence-assisted analysis and data ethics.
The Vice President called for closer collaboration among government institutions, academia and the private sector to ensure that statistical information is timely, accurate and translated into policies that improve the welfare of Nigerians.
He said reliable data should ultimately serve as a tool for improving the lives of citizens and guiding the country towards more effective and evidence-based development.