The House of Representatives has commenced legislative action to repeal Nigeria’s 2007 Statistics Act and replace it with a new legal framework aimed at strengthening the country’s statistical system, improving funding for the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), and aligning official data production with global digital standards.

The review was the focus of a public hearing on the Statistics Bill, 2025 (HB. 2491), organised by the House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development on Monday in Abuja.

In his address, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said the proposed legislation was not a routine amendment but a complete overhaul of Nigeria’s statistical governance structure.

He noted that the current Statistics Act, enacted 18 years ago, was designed for a vastly different technological environment.

Abbas stressed that Nigeria now operates in a data-driven global economy where governance, investment decisions and accountability depend heavily on credible statistics.

He 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 We are here to repeal the outdated 2007 framework and enact a modern, globally competitive Bureau of Statistics and a Statistical System capable of meeting the demands of the 21st century.

“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.”

He warned that without reliable data, governance becomes speculative rather than evidence-based.

The Speaker also 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.

He added that the Bill would 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.

Speaking, Statistician-General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, described the Bill as a timely intervention to modernise Nigeria’s data governance framework.

Adeniran commended the leadership of the National Assembly for prioritising the reform, noting that the existing 2007 law no longer reflects the realities of today’s data ecosystem.

He said the emergence of digital technologies, administrative data systems, geospatial information, artificial intelligence and machine learning had fundamentally transformed how statistics are generated and used globally.

According to him, 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.

He explained that 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, which are essential for policy formulation, programme implementation and national development planning.

He added that a modern statistical system would also enhance Nigeria’s ability to attract investment, improve service delivery and strengthen accountability.

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 utilisation.

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.

According to him, “data has become the currency of sustainable development” and serves as a compass for governance, investment decisions and national planning.

Isiaka explained that while the existing Statistics Act had served the country since 2007, it no longer reflected present-day realities shaped by big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, geospatial technologies and real-time information systems.

He said the Bill had already passed first and second readings in July and December 2025 respectively, and had now reached the crucial stage of public engagement.