Atiku Bagudu, minister of Budget and National Planning, has called for the urgent modernization of Nigeria’s statistical systems to better support education and drive sustainable economic growth.
Bagudu in his address at the 2024 African Statistics Day, themed “Supporting Education by Modernizing the Production of People-Focused Statistics,” emphasized the critical role of accurate, fit for purpose data in shaping policies that address Nigeria and Africa’s most pressing challenges.
He noted that only by modernizing these systems can Nigeria and the broader African continent unlock the potential of their youth and ensure long-term prosperity.
The African Statistics Day celebrated annually on November 18th to raise awareness about the importance of statistics in development and to promote the use of data for better decision-making in Africa.
According to the Minister, this year’s theme aligns with the African Union’s 2024 theme, “Educate and Scale Africa for the 21st Century.”
He pointed out that in a rapidly evolving world, robust and reliable data systems are essential for building educational frameworks that equip Africa’s youth with the skills needed to thrive in the global economy.
“Education is not just a human right; it is the foundation for sustainable development,” he remarked, stressing that for Africa to succeed in the 21st century, its educational systems must be data-driven and adaptable to the challenges posed by technological advancements.
He acknowledged that, in today’s digital age, education systems across Africa face evolving challenges, from resource constraints to an increasing demand for skills that align with emerging industries.
“Without modern, fit for purpose statistics, creating policies that address the educational needs of our young population becomes increasingly difficult”
He urged that Nigeria use its data to tell its own stories, noting that data imperialism, where a few companies control data, shapes our choices, and emphasized the need to use data to determine how much investment a country of 230 million needs for a good quality of life.
Adeyemi Adeniran, the statistician general of the Federation, in his remarks, emphasized the importance of modernizing data collection methods to address current challenges, particularly in education.
He noted that traditional statistical methods are no longer sufficient and that innovative approaches are necessary to provide relevant, timely, and reliable data. He highlighted recent advancements, including Nigeria’s inclusion of early childhood development data in the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) and collaboration with the World Bank to improve education statistics using technology.
“Traditional methods and statistics can no longer cut it; more innovative approaches and information are required to tackle the challenges in today’s world.
“We must innovate, adapt, and change if we are to remain relevant in providing policymakers and all users with timely, relevant, and reliable data.”
He said the NBS was focused on using innovative statistical approaches to address Nigeria’s economic challenges, highlighting that NBS has adopted a mantra of innovation, establishing a Data Innovation Desk to enhance data production, collection, and dissemination in line with the African Development Bank’s Data Innovation Lab initiative.
Jutaro Sakamioto, UNICEF education manager in his goodwill message noted that education is a key investment for economic and social development, providing children with the skills needed to succeed and contributing to a productive, active society. He noted that countries with educated populations benefit from higher tax revenue, lower crime rates, and stronger democracies.
Sakamioto highlighted Nigeria’s education challenges, including a high number of out-of-school children and poor learning outcomes, with 1 in 4 children out of school and 75% lacking basic learning skills. He pointed out that barriers such as a lack of data hinder progress and pledged UNICEF’s continued support to the Nigerian government in improving education data systems.
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