The House of Representatives has opened legislative work on a bill seeking to repeal the 2007 Statistics Act and establish a new legal framework to modernise Nigeria’s statistical system, boost funding for the National Bureau of Statistics, and align data production with global digital standards.
The proposal, titled the Statistics Bill 2025 (HB. 2491), was the subject of a public hearing organised in Abuja on Monday by the House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development.
Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, described the initiative as a full restructuring of Nigeria’s statistical governance, not a routine amendment.
He said the existing law, enacted nearly two decades ago, no longer suits today’s technology-driven environment, stressing that modern governance now depends heavily on accurate and timely data.
According to him, weak statistical systems undermine evidence-based policymaking and reduce governance to guesswork.
Abbas also linked the reform to Nigeria’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy, noting that such a goal would require reliable and efficient data systems to guide planning and investment.
He explained that the bill would improve coordination among statistical agencies, reduce duplication of data collection, strengthen funding for the NBS, and introduce stronger digital tools for data gathering and dissemination.
He said lawmakers were committed to passing laws that reflect present realities rather than outdated frameworks.
Also speaking, the Statistician-General of the Federation and CEO of the National Bureau of Statistics, Adeyemi Adeniran, welcomed the bill, describing it as a timely reform of Nigeria’s data ecosystem.
He noted that advances in artificial intelligence, geospatial technology, administrative data systems and machine learning have transformed global statistical practice, making the current legal framework obsolete.
Adeniran explained that the proposed law contains eight parts and 42 clauses covering governance, funding, data protection, institutional coordination and system strengthening.
He said the reforms would improve the quality, speed and reliability of official statistics used for national planning, policy design and economic development.
According to him, a stronger statistical system would also support investment inflows, improve public service delivery and enhance government accountability.
Chairman of the House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development, Adegboyega Nasiru Isiaka, said the reform had become urgent due to rapid global shifts in data usage and technology.
He described statistics as a key national resource essential for development, noting that no country can achieve sustainable growth without credible data systems.
Isiaka added that the bill, which has already passed second reading stages, is now at the public engagement phase ahead of further legislative consideration.
Reps Move to Replace 2007 Statistics Act, Tie Reform to $1tn Economy Plan
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