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.
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‎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.
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‎Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, described the initiative as a full restructuring of Nigeria’s statistical governance, not a routine amendment.
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‎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.
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‎According to him, weak statistical systems undermine evidence-based policymaking and reduce governance to guesswork.
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‎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.
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‎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.
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‎He said lawmakers were committed to passing laws that reflect present realities rather than outdated frameworks.
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‎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.
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‎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.
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‎Adeniran explained that the proposed law contains eight parts and 42 clauses covering governance, funding, data protection, institutional coordination and system strengthening.
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‎He said the reforms would improve the quality, speed and reliability of official statistics used for national planning, policy design and economic development.
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‎According to him, a stronger statistical system would also support investment inflows, improve public service delivery and enhance government accountability.
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‎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.
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‎He described statistics as a key national resource essential for development, noting that no country can achieve sustainable growth without credible data systems.
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‎Isiaka added that the bill, which has already passed second reading stages, is now at the public engagement phase ahead of further legislative consideration.
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Reps Move to Replace 2007 Statistics Act, Tie Reform to $1tn Economy Plan
