The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has begun preparations and field operations for the seventh round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS7).
The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey is an internationally recognised household survey programme designed to provide reliable and comparable statistics on women and children. It offers valuable insights into child protection, education, healthcare access, water and sanitation, and general living conditions.
This latest survey, according to the NBS, will generate essential data to guide policy formulation and targeted development initiatives in critical areas such as child health, nutrition, education, and overall household welfare.
Fieldwork is scheduled to run from December 2025 to March 2026.
The Statistician General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, said MICS7 represents Nigeria’s most comprehensive source of data on the well-being of children, women, and vulnerable populations.
He added that findings from MICS play a key role in tracking progress under major development frameworks, including the Renewed Hope Agenda, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Prince Adeniran said, “Conducted every five years, this edition will deliver state-level and national indicators across all 36 states and the FCT, helping to fill crucial data gaps and strengthen evidence-based planning and decision-making.”
He also noted that trained NBS interviewers will visit selected households equipped with digital data collection tools to ensure accuracy and efficiency.
Imploring households nationwide to support the survey by providing honest and accurate responses, he said, “MICS has been Nigeria’s trusted tool for understanding the lives of women and children since 1995, turning complex realities into hard numbers that drive policy and progress.”
Also commenting on the survey, UNICEF Deputy Representative to Nigeria, Rownak Khan, emphasised its importance, stating, “Since 1995, MICS has been Nigeria’s leading source of information that highlights the realities of women and children.”
The last major MICS, released in 2022 from the 2021 survey, showed an increase in the exclusive breastfeeding rate to 34 per cent and that about 60 per cent of children are registered at birth.
Other findings revealed that 54 per cent of household heads have a senior secondary education or higher, nearly nine out of 10 households own a cell phone, and only three per cent of individuals have health insurance.
The survey also highlighted disparities, with only 36 per cent of children aged 12-23 months receiving all their recommended vaccines, showing significant differences between northern and southern zones.
