The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has recorded a new feat in its sustained drive to digitalize Nigeria’s statistical system with the deployment of an Integrated System of Administrative Statistics (ISAS) to some select federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to create a centralized repository for public sector’s administrative data.
Speaking during the training for representatives of the MDAs on the ISAS in Abuja, the Statistician-General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of the NBS, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, said that the initiative would significantly enhance institutional data coordination with the attendant positive implications for improved planning and service delivery in the public sector.
According to him, the old administrative statistics system is largely ineffective due to fragmented data capturing processes, which are often manual and lack integration across MDAs, thereby making it tedious to produce consistent and reliable statistics.
The Statistician-General described ISAS as a comprehensive, holistic approach to transforming the way administrative data is being collected, managed, and shared across all tiers of government.
He expatiated: “With ISAS, we are laying the foundation for an integrated and interoperable data system. It is automated and standardized, facilitating data exchange between the NBS and MDAs. It will also serve as a centralized data repository accessible to policymakers, researchers, and citizens.”
Speaking at the forum, the ISAS Project Coordinator, Mr. Azeez Mustapha, explained that the platform would help MDAs effectively track programmes, make informed policy decisions, and meet national and global development goals.
According to him, the ISAS offers a harmonized, technology-enabled platform that integrates statistical processes and brings all of us into one coordinated framework.
In her remarks during the opening session of the capacity building programme, the World Bank’s representative, Victoria Okafor, promised that the bank would continue to support the development of a robust data ecosystem in Nigeria.
This is even as Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Victoria Ojogbane, who spoke on behalf of the 15 MDAs selected for the pilot phase, promised the MDAs’ commitment to adopting the ISAS platform in their ministries, departments and agencies
The training was rounded off with the presentation of software and hardware equipment to the 15 pilot MDAs to support their implementation of ISAS.
