Adeniran: NBS Working on Innovation Lab for Seamless Data Dissemination, Exchange

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan 

The Statistician-General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Adeyemi Adeniran, has emphasised the importance of making data more accessible at the sub-national level to build a more prosperous and equitable future for all in Nigeria.

Adeniran who said this in the keynote address he delivered at the second bi-annual meeting of the National Consultative Committee on Statistics (NCCS) 2023, held in Ibadan, disclosed that the Bureau is working on Data Innovation Laboratory to facilitate seamless data dissemination and exchange.

Adeniran highlighted the need for accurate, timely, and accessible data, stressing that it is the responsibility of data custodians in Nigeria to ensure that data is not only collected and analysed but also disseminated effectively to empower decision-makers at all levels.

According to him, Nigeria is a diverse and dynamic nation with unique challenges and opportunities, and to address the needs of the population adequately, sub-national entities must be empowered with the tools and information necessary to make informed decisions, tailored to their specific contexts.

He said, “At the heart of this theme is the recognition that Nigeria is a diverse and dynamic nation, comprised of states and regions with unique challenges and opportunities. This issue of data accessibility and dissemination at the sub-national level is one of the contemporary issues that has emerged from several inputs and suggestions we have received during recent stakeholder engagements we have had in the past month, towards the development of the third phase new National Strategy for the Development of Statistics, (NSDS), which you are all familiar with, given your participation in the consultations.”

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, in his keynote address lauded the NBS for holding the meeting in Ibadan and for their commitment to releasing timely data for evidence-based planning in Nigeria, advocating for effective collaboration between the NBS and the State Statistical Agency, especially the Oyo State Bureau of Statistics, to ensure reliable and comprehensive data is available at the sub-national level for evidence-based decision-making.