Nigeria Can’t Build a $1tn Economy on Outdated Data – Abbas

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Monday said Nigeria cannot achieve its ambition of becoming a $1tn economy without a modern and credible statistical system.

The declaration is coming against the backdrop of the commencement of consultations by the National Assembly on a bill seeking a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s statistics framework.

Speaking at a public hearing on the Statistics Bill, 2025, Abbas said the proposed legislation would replace the Statistics Act of 2007 with a new legal framework designed to strengthen the National Bureau of Statistics, improve data governance, guarantee sustainable funding, and align Nigeria’s statistical architecture with the realities of the digital age.

The Speaker described the 2007 law as a product of a different era, arguing that rapid technological changes and the growing importance of data-driven governance have rendered many aspects of the existing framework inadequate.

Represented by the House Leader, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, at the event, which was held at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, Abbas highlighted the importance of reliable data to national planning.

He said, “To plan without accurate data is to build a house on quicksand. For Nigeria to achieve its goal of becoming a $1tn economy, every policy decision, budget allocation, and infrastructural investment must be guided by data that is accurate, timely, and beyond reproach.”

The proposed legislation titled “A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Statistics Act No. 9, 2007 and Enact the Statistics Bill, 2025,” seeks to modernise the National Statistical System by strengthening coordination among government data-producing agencies, improving data quality assurance mechanisms, promoting digital data collection and dissemination, and establishing a more reliable funding structure for the NBS.

Abbas stressed that the legislation represents more than a routine amendment, describing it as a “complete structural overhaul” intended to reposition Nigeria’s statistical institutions for the demands of the 21st century.

According to him, when the current law was enacted nearly two decades ago, technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, cloud computing and digital platforms were either emerging or largely absent from mainstream governance and economic planning.

However, governments, businesses and development institutions rely heavily on real-time data to make critical decisions.

He noted that reliable statistics have become indispensable for policy formulation, resource allocation, monitoring and evaluation, poverty reduction strategies, economic planning and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Speaker also highlighted the growing need to eliminate duplication in government data collection efforts, saying a more coordinated statistical system would save public resources, reduce survey fatigue among citizens and businesses, and improve confidence in official data.

“We need a system that inspires absolute trust, whether an investor looks at our numbers in Abuja, London or New York,” he said.

The proposed legislation comes at a time when governments around the world are investing heavily in digital statistical systems to improve evidence-based policymaking. International development agencies have repeatedly emphasised the importance of strong national statistical institutions in measuring economic performance, tracking development indicators and attracting investment.

Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics serves as the country’s official producer of socio-economic data, including inflation figures, unemployment statistics, gross domestic product estimates and household surveys. However, stakeholders have frequently raised concerns about funding constraints, data harmonisation challenges and the need for greater institutional coordination across government agencies.

Abbas said the Statistics Bill, 2025, seeks to address these challenges by creating a more integrated and responsive statistical ecosystem capable of generating high-frequency and highly granular data while maintaining global standards of quality, transparency and credibility.

He also reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to inclusive lawmaking, urging stakeholders from government institutions, academia, civil society organisations, the private sector and development partners to scrutinise the bill and contribute recommendations that would strengthen the final legislation.

According to him, public participation remains essential to producing a legal framework that not only addresses current gaps but is also capable of responding to future challenges in data governance and official statistics.

The public hearing was organised by the House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development and brought together representatives of ministries, departments and agencies, researchers, civil society groups and other stakeholders to examine the provisions of the proposed legislation.

If passed, the Statistics Bill, 2025 is expected to become the most significant reform of Nigeria’s statistical system since the establishment of the current legal framework nearly two decades ago, potentially reshaping how government institutions collect, manage and utilise data for national development.

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Statistics has thrown its weight behind the proposed Statistics Bill, 2025, describing it as a critical reform capable of modernising Nigeria’s data governance framework and strengthen evidence-based policymaking in an increasingly digital world.

Speaking at the event, the Statistician-General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of the NBS, Adeyemi Adeniran, said the country’s statistical system must evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly changing data ecosystem.

Adeniran noted that data has become central to governance, economic growth and national development, making it imperative for Nigeria’s legal and institutional frameworks to keep pace with technological advancements and emerging data sources.

According to him, while the Statistics Act of 2007 has served the country effectively for nearly two decades, “Significant changes in technology and data production now require a more robust legal framework.”

He said, “The increasing use of digital technologies, administrative data systems, geospatial information, big data, machine learning, artificial intelligence and other emerging data sources requires a modern legal framework capable of supporting the evolving needs of the National Statistical System.”

Adeniran explained that the proposed legislation seeks to strengthen the National Statistical System by enhancing the production, coordination and use of official statistics across the country. He added that the bill is designed to improve institutional effectiveness, encourage innovation in statistical production, strengthen professional standards and ensure the availability of reliable data for decision-making.

He disclosed that the bill is structured into eight parts and contains 42 clauses aimed at addressing key issues relating to statistical governance, institutional development, data collection and management, confidentiality, accountability, funding and stakeholder coordination.

He added that the proposed law would provide a stronger foundation for fact-based development planning, policy formulation, programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

He expressed confidence that the passage of the bill would significantly improve the capacity of the National Statistical System to generate timely, reliable and credible data needed for effective governance and sustainable national development.

He reaffirmed the bureau’s commitment to working with all stakeholders to ensure the effective implementation of the proposed legislation once enacted.