ABUJA — The Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU), Hadiza Bala Usman, on Wednesday joined top national stakeholders, statisticians, development partners, and data experts as Nigeria marked the 2025 African Statistics Day at the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Headquarters in Abuja.
With this year’s theme, “Leveraging Innovations in Data and Statistics to Promote a Just, Peaceful, Inclusive and Prosperous Society for Africans,” the event spotlighted the growing urgency for credible data to guide Africa’s development trajectory.
Delivering her address, Bala Usman echoed President Bola Ahmed Tinibu’s long-held conviction that “data is the compass without which governments would be flying blind.” She reaffirmed the administration’s firm commitment to embedding evidence-based decision-making at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda — ensuring reforms and investments truly reflect the realities and aspirations of Nigerians.
She revealed that through strengthened collaboration between the CRDCU and the NBS, Nigeria is rapidly upgrading its statistical systems to drive transparency, effective planning, and measurable results across sectors.
Highlighting the transformative power of new technologies, Bala Usman explained how AI-powered analytics, geospatial mapping, mobile data collection tools, and real-time monitoring dashboards are reshaping the country’s ability to detect vulnerabilities, anticipate risks, track development progress, and design inclusive policies. These innovations, she said, are fast becoming “instruments of justice, engines of peace, pathways to inclusion, and drivers of prosperity.”
The Special Adviser stressed that data is not just a tool but “critical national infrastructure,” calling for stronger investment in statistical capacity, ethical governance of AI systems, and deeper partnerships across government, academia, and the private sector.
She reaffirmed the Tinibu administration’s pledge to build a Nigeria where data strengthens accountability, accelerates progress, and ensures no citizen is left behind.
Bala Usman concluded by applauding the NBS and its Statistician-General, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, for their unwavering dedication to producing credible and timely national data. She assured participants of the Federal Government’s continued support as the Bureau works to solidify Nigeria’s data foundation and drive the nation toward a more prosperous, evidence-driven future.
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