The House of Representatives has initiated legislative action to repeal Nigeria's Statistics Act of 2007 and replace it with a new legal framework. This reform aims to strengthen the country's statistical system, improve funding for the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), and align official data production with global digital standards.
Public Hearing on the Statistics Bill
The review was the focus of a public hearing on the Statistics Bill, 2025 (HB. 2491), organized by the House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development on Monday in Abuja. Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, stated that the proposed legislation is not a routine amendment but a complete overhaul of Nigeria's statistical governance structure.
Abbas emphasized that the current Statistics Act, enacted 18 years ago, was designed for a vastly different technological environment. He noted that Nigeria now operates in a data-driven global economy where governance, investment decisions, and accountability depend heavily on credible statistics.
Speaker's Remarks
Abbas said: "The Statistics Bill, 2025 is not a minor amendment; it is a complete structural overhaul. We are here to repeal the outdated 2007 framework and enact a modern, globally competitive Bureau of Statistics and a Statistical System capable of meeting the demands of the 21st century."
He added: "As the People's Parliament, the House of Representatives operates on a simple truth: laws should never be written in ivory towers. We are deeply committed to enacting legislation that responds to the realities of our time and positions our nation to compete effectively in an increasingly data-driven global community."
Abbas warned that without reliable data, governance becomes speculative rather than evidence-based. He linked the reform to Nigeria's broader economic ambitions, noting that the country's goal of becoming a $1 trillion economy would be impossible without accurate and timely statistical systems. The Bill will improve coordination among statistical agencies, reduce duplication of data efforts across government, strengthen funding mechanisms for the NBS, and enhance digital data collection and dissemination systems.
Statistician-General's Support
Statistician-General of the Federation and CEO of the NBS, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, described the Bill as a timely intervention to modernize Nigeria's data governance framework. He commended the National Assembly for prioritizing the reform, noting that the existing 2007 law no longer reflects today's data ecosystem.
Adeniran highlighted that digital technologies, administrative data systems, geospatial information, artificial intelligence, and machine learning have fundamentally transformed how statistics are generated and used globally. The Statistics Bill, 2025 provides an opportunity to strengthen the National Statistical System by improving coordination, enhancing institutional effectiveness, and supporting innovation in data production.
The Bill contains eight parts and 42 clauses covering statistical governance, institutional strengthening, data management, confidentiality, funding, and inter-agency coordination. Adeniran stressed that the reform would improve the availability, reliability, and timeliness of official statistics, essential for policy formulation, program implementation, and national development planning. A modern statistical system would also enhance Nigeria's ability to attract investment, improve service delivery, and strengthen accountability.
Committee Chairman's Perspective
Earlier, Chairman of the House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development, Adegboyega Nasiru Isiaka, said the reform had become necessary due to rapid global changes in data production and utilization. He described statistics as a strategic national asset rather than a mere technical tool, stressing that no country can achieve sustainable development without reliable data.
Isiaka stated: "Data has become the currency of sustainable development" and serves as a compass for governance, investment decisions, and national planning. He explained that while the existing Statistics Act had served the country since 2007, it no longer reflects present-day realities shaped by big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, geospatial technologies, and real-time information systems.
The Bill has already passed first and second readings in July and December 2025 respectively, and has now reached the crucial stage of public engagement.
