The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has commenced preparations and field activities for the seventh round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) to strengthen evidence-based development planning.
A joint statement issued on Wednesday by the statistics agency’s Head of Department, Communication and Public Relations Department, Mr. Alesanmi Folorunso, and the UNICEF Deputy Representative, Programme, Dr. Rownak Khan, indicated that data generated from the exercise would support policy-making and targeted development interventions in key areas such as child health, nutrition, education, and other welfare indicators.
The MICS is a globally recognized household survey programme designed to provide statistically sound and internationally comparable data on women and children. Globally, the survey produces useful insights on child protection, schooling, healthcare access, water, sanitation, and household living conditions.
Results from MICS are used to track progress under major frameworks such as the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government of Nigeria, Agenda 2063 of the African Union, and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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NBS clarified that the survey represented Nigeria’s most comprehensive dataset for understanding conditions affecting children, women, and vulnerable groups.
According to the Bureau, the MICS is conducted every five years and this seventh round will generate state-level and national indicators across all 36 states and the FCT to close critical data gaps and support evidence-backed decision-making.
During the exercise, the statistics agency hinted that its trained interviewers would visit selected households across the geopolitical zones in the country using digital tools to collect accurate data.
Commenting on the exercise, the Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, said: “MICS has been Nigeria’s trusted tool for understanding lives of women and children since 1995, turning complex realities into hard numbers that drive policy and progress.”
In his remarks, the UNICEF Deputy Representative to Nigeria, Rownak Khan, recalled that “since 1995, MICS has been Nigeria’s leading source of information which is also desegregated for women and children”.
To ensure successful conduct of the survey, the NBS’ management and UNICEF have requested the support of households across the country in providing accurate responses to interviewers as fieldwork progresses from December 2025 to March 2026.
