Industry experts have tasked political office holders, business owners and other policymakers to embrace data in formulating policies for the development of the country.
The charge was given in Lagos at the public presentation of the book: “Nigeria in Figures: A Socio-Economic Databook,” written by Afolabi Olowookere, a doctor and renowned economist, who is also the Managing Director/Chief Economist of the Analysts Data Services and Resources (ADSR).
Speaking at the event, Segun Aina, president, FinTech Association of Nigeria stated that the federal government and the subnational should make use of data in addressing the many challenges facing the country.
Aina, who is also a former president of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, who served as the chairman of the event, said the Bola Tinubu-led government can build a new Nigeria with the right application of data in planning socioeconomic policies.
“This book holds a lot of promises for Nigeria. In the face of the many challenges we have, there is opportunity for the new government to look at the process of building a new Nigeria based on data. The book has data that the FG and the subnational including the local government areas can use to plan because if you fail to plan, you have planned to fail. It is a contribution to the government on the tools they can use to move the country forward,” he said.
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However, Olowookere, the author of the book said he was inspired to write the book to provide data for policy decision, equip policymakers with the necessary data and information for socioeconomic performance, tackle the challenges of inadequate application of data in planning as well as serve as a useful guide for benchmarking and monitoring the country’s socio-economic progress.
He explained that inadequate application of data in planning is one of the challenges facing the country, adding that it took him more than 10 years to write the book.
“The government needs to be adequately equipped with the necessary data, information and analysis of where we are, how we got here, what has been done in the past and the outcomes, what works elsewhere that can be adapted, as well as what can be done in the immediate, medium and long-term periods.”
The book presents a comprehensive list of indicators measuring Nigeria’s socioeconomic performance since 1999 at the national, regional and state levels. It provides baseline data and serve as a reference data book on Nigeria as well as a useful guide for benchmarking and monitoring the country’s socio-economic progress over time.
The book benefited from the comments and suggestions from subject-matter experts drawn from policy, industry, professional, academic and international institutions, including, Shamsuddeen Usman, Doyin Salami, Sarah Alade, Kingsley Obiora, Ayo Teriba, Suleyman Ndanusa, ‘Laoye Jaiyeola, Ademola Oyejide (emeritus professor), Olu Ajakaiye ( a professor) Ahmed Ummu Jalingo, (a professor), Adeolu Adewuyi (a professor), and Uche Uwaleke (a professor) among others.
