Abuja: The Statistician-General of the Federation, Adeyemi Adeniran, has affirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to leveraging innovations in data and statistics to foster justice, peace, inclusiveness, and sustainable development. Adeniran’s remarks came during the 2025 African Statistics Day celebration in Abuja, themed ‘Leveraging Innovations in Data and Statistics to Promote a Just, Peaceful, Inclusive and Prosperous Society for Africans.’
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Adeniran emphasized that data is central to governance, economic planning, and social development, describing statistics as the ‘silent architects of development.’ He highlighted that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has adopted digital tools such as satellite imagery, geospatial technology, machine learning, and mobile data collection to produce credible and timely statistics.
Adeniran further explained that innovations include Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI), real-time dashboards, and improved open data portals aimed at reaching remote communities and producing disaggregated data on gender, age, disability, ethnicity, and geography. “Data is not neutral. It must expose inequalities, inform strategies for justice, foster peace, and ensure inclusion,” Adeniran stated.
He urged African nations to invest in statistical infrastructure, human capacity, and public data literacy. Additionally, Adeniran announced that the NBS would inaugurate a national Data Power Roadmap in December.
Guest speaker Prof. Joseph Nnanna, Chief Economist at the Development Bank of Nigeria, underscored that countries embracing data innovation could design more effective policies, deliver public services efficiently, and ensure accountability. He provided examples from Kenya, South Africa, Morocco, and Ghana to illustrate how reliable data informed targeted policies, guided resource allocation, and improved daily lives.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that African Statistics Day, celebrated annually on November 18, raises awareness of the role of statistics in shaping socio-economic development across the continent.