By Mercy Gadia Adi
The House of Representatives has expressed readiness to fast-track the passage of a bill seeking to grant financial autonomy to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Chairman of the House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Gboyega Isiaka, disclosed this in Abuja while hosting a delegation from the Liberian House of Representatives alongside Nigeria’s Statistician-General, Mr. Semiu Adeyemi Adeniran.
Isiaka explained that the current law guiding the Bureau was enacted in 2007, almost 50 years after the first statute in 1957, and requires reform to meet present realities. He noted that the proposed legislation, which has passed its First Reading, aims to make the Bureau more independent, particularly in funding.
He said the new law would create a National Tax Trust Fund that would enable agencies like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Capital Market regulator, direct beneficiaries of NBS data to contribute directly to the agency.
“The normal budgetary allocation may not be enough, given the wide responsibilities assigned to the Bureau under the National Strategy for Developmental Statistics 2024–2028. We are trying to see how we can strengthen the NBS to serve as the official custodian of Nigeria’s statistics,” Isiaka said.
He further disclosed that the bill would empower the Bureau to source credible data from both the public and private sectors, adding that effective oversight of the agency’s activities remains a priority for the committee.
On the visit of the Liberian delegation, Isiaka said both parliaments and statistical agencies used the session to share experiences and strengthen cooperation on statistics generation and legislation.
Leader of the Liberian delegation and Chairman of the Ways, Means and Finance Committee, Hon. Mike Jurry, praised Nigeria’s progress in statistical reforms and innovations. He noted that Liberia would adopt lessons learnt from Nigeria, particularly on legal frameworks and boundary delineation challenges.
“There are great lessons learnt, and we are taking them back home. We hope this will not be the end of the study tour, but the beginning of committee-to-committee collaboration,” Jurry said.
Statistician-General Adeniran, in his remarks, highlighted that the reform bill would not only improve funding for the Bureau but also expand its access to emerging data sources, including big data from private organisations.
He said: “We are working to ensure that the data produced is credible, insightful and impactful, serving government, private organisations, investors, and the entire economy.”
The Liberian lawmakers and their Nigerian counterparts pledged to sustain engagements at committee level to deepen collaboration in statistics legislation and development.