By George Ozalla
Stakeholders across government institutions, civil society organisations, research bodies, professional associations and development partners on Monday June 8, 2026 converged at the National Assembly Complex for a public hearing on the Statistics Bill, 2025, with strong support emerging for the repeal of the Statistics Act, 2007 and the establishment of a modern legal framework to strengthen Nigeria’s statistical system.
The public hearing, organised by the House of Representatives Committee on National Planning and Economic Development, brought together lawmakers, officials of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), representatives of ministries, departments and agencies, organised civil society groups, research institutions and other stakeholders to deliberate on proposed reforms aimed at repositioning the country’s statistical architecture for improved governance, economic planning and national development.
Representing the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, the Majority Leader of the House, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, described the proposed legislation as a strategic reform that would strengthen Nigeria’s capacity for evidence-based governance and national planning. According to him, no nation can effectively pursue sustainable development without credible, reliable and timely statistics.
“Statistics are not merely numbers. They are the foundation upon which governments formulate policies, allocate resources and evaluate progress. If Nigeria is to achieve its economic aspirations, including the goal of building a one trillion dollar economy, then our statistical institutions must be strengthened and empowered to perform their responsibilities effectively,” he stated.
Prof. Ihonvbere further assured stakeholders that the House of Representatives remained committed to producing legislation that would strengthen institutional capacity, improve coordination among data-producing agencies and promote public confidence in official statistics.
Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of the House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, said the review of the Statistics Act had become necessary due to profound changes that have occurred in the global data environment since the enactment of the law in 2007.
He described statistics as a strategic national asset that plays a critical role in governance, development planning, budgeting, investment decisions and policy evaluation.
“The Statistics Act of 2007 was enacted to meet the needs of its time. However, today’s realities require a more dynamic and responsive legal framework. The world has changed significantly, and the importance of data in governance and development has increased tremendously. Our laws must reflect these realities,” Isiaka said.
He further added that reliable statistics remain essential for addressing challenges relating to poverty, unemployment, healthcare, education, agriculture, infrastructure and national security.
In his presentation, the Statistician-General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of the National Bureau of Statistics, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, outlined the rationale behind the proposed legislation and highlighted key gaps in the existing law. Adeniran explained that the current Statistics Act no longer adequately addresses developments in data generation, management and dissemination, particularly in an era increasingly driven by digital technology and innovation.
“The statistical landscape has evolved significantly over the last two decades. Today, official statistics rely increasingly on administrative data, geospatial information systems, artificial intelligence, machine learning and other emerging technologies. The legal framework guiding our operations must evolve accordingly,” he said.
He further noted that the proposed bill seeks to strengthen statistical governance, improve institutional coordination within the National Statistical System, enhance data quality assurance mechanisms and provide a more sustainable framework for the production and dissemination of official statistics.
According to him, quality statistics remain indispensable for measuring economic performance, tracking poverty and unemployment levels, assessing social indicators, evaluating government programmes and supporting informed decision-making.
The Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI) also made a presentation through its Consultant (Media and Corporate Intelligence), Comrade Toye Fawole, who represented the Secretary General, Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku. He underscored the importance of strengthening the relationship between research institutions and the national statistical system, noting that credible data remains the foundation for quality research, innovation, scientific advancement and effective public policy formulation. He advocated stronger institutional support for research-based data generation and called for legal safeguards that would protect the integrity and professionalism of official statistics.
A major intervention during the hearing came from the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations, which presented a memorandum urging lawmakers to strengthen provisions relating to transparency, accountability, institutional independence and public trust in official statistics. Presenting the coalition’s memorandum, Chukwudi George Ozalla, Vice President of Advocacy for Change Initiative (ACI), commended the National Assembly for initiating the reform process but urged legislators to ensure that the final legislation adequately addresses longstanding weaknesses within Nigeria’s statistical ecosystem.
The coalition maintained that while the proposed bill represents a significant step forward, additional safeguards are required to strengthen institutional independence, improve public access to official statistics and promote confidence in government-generated data.
A key recommendation contained in the memorandum was the proposal for establishment of a Statistics Trust Fund to provide sustainable financing for statistical activities across the country.
According to the coalition, the absence of a predictable and protected funding mechanism has remained one of the greatest challenges confronting statistical development in Nigeria, often affecting the quality, frequency and timeliness of surveys, censuses and other critical statistical exercises.
“A sustainable Statistics Trust Fund will provide long-term financial stability for statistical operations, reduce dependence on irregular budgetary releases and strengthen the capacity of the National Statistical System to generate credible, timely and reliable data for national development,” the coalition stated.
The coalition argued that dependable funding is essential for maintaining data quality, conducting nationwide surveys, supporting technological innovation, strengthening capacity development and ensuring continuity in statistical programmes. It further urged lawmakers to incorporate clear governance, accountability and transparency provisions into the proposed fund to guarantee effective utilisation of resources.
Beyond the funding question, the coalition called for stronger collaboration among data-producing agencies, enhanced quality assurance systems and improved harmonisation of methodologies across ministries, departments and agencies. The memorandum also advocated the integration of crime statistics into the national statistical framework, arguing that accurate crime data is indispensable for evidence-based security planning, resource allocation and the formulation of effective responses to insecurity and criminality across the country.
Several government agencies, professional bodies, academic institutions and stakeholder groups also presented memoranda and recommendations on various aspects of the proposed legislation.
Contributors generally supported the repeal of the Statistics Act, 2007, while calling for stronger provisions on funding, data quality assurance, institutional independence, technological innovation, administrative data integration and inter-agency coordination. Many stakeholders identified inadequate funding as one of the major constraints confronting statistical operations in Nigeria. Others pointed to weak coordination among ministries, departments and agencies, duplication of data collection efforts, inconsistencies in statistical reporting, delays in data production and insufficient deployment of modern technology.
Participants also highlighted concerns regarding limited utilisation of administrative records, inadequate institutional capacity, poor harmonisation of methodologies and the need for stronger legal safeguards to protect the credibility of official statistics from undue influence.
A recurring concern throughout the hearing was that the Statistics Act, 2007, no longer reflects the realities of a rapidly evolving digital and data-driven world. Stakeholders noted that the law was enacted before the emergence of many of the technologies and data governance standards that now shape statistical systems globally.
They argued that the existing legislation does not sufficiently address contemporary issues relating to artificial intelligence, big data analytics, geospatial information systems, real-time data management, integrated administrative databases and modern accountability frameworks.
The public hearing ended with broad agreement on the need for comprehensive reforms capable of repositioning Nigeria’s statistical system as a strategic tool for governance, economic management, national planning and sustainable development.
The House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development is expected to review memoranda and recommendations submitted by stakeholders before presenting its report to the House of Representatives for further legislative action.
