Transforming Africa’s Statistical Landscape: Addressing Human Capital, Funding, and Innovation

His remarks were made during the Expert’s segment of the 2025 United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Conference of Ministers, where he emphasized the need for a well-resourced and innovative approach to statistical development.

Africa’s statistical ecosystem is at a critical juncture, facing significant challenges in human capital, sustainable funding, and methodological modernization. Tinfissi-Joseph Ilboudo, Officer in Charge of the African Centre for Statistics, has called for urgent action to ensure that African nations can produce high-quality statistics essential for evidence-based policymaking. His remarks were made during the Expert’s segment of the 2025 United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Conference of Ministers, where he emphasized the need for a well-resourced and innovative approach to statistical development.

Challenges in Statistical Human Capital

One of the most pressing issues highlighted by Ilboudo is the shortage of skilled professionals in Africa’s statistical agencies. The production of reliable and high-quality data requires expertise in data collection, analysis, and governance. However, many national statistical offices across the continent lack the necessary technical capacity to meet international standards, resulting in inconsistent and sometimes inaccurate data. This skills gap limits the ability of policymakers to make informed decisions that reflect the realities of their respective nations.

Reliance on International Funding: A Persistent Hurdle

Ilboudo also raised concerns about the continent’s dependence on international financial support to sustain statistical systems. While external funding has been instrumental in keeping national statistical agencies operational, it has also created a dependency that threatens long-term sustainability. International donors often prioritize their own developmental goals, which may not always align with national or regional priorities in Africa. As external funding sources decline, Africa must explore new avenues for mobilizing domestic resources to support its statistical infrastructure.

Data Governance and the Need for Standardization

In addition to financial constraints, Ilboudo stressed the importance of data governance and standardization. A lack of coordination between global, regional, and national statistical systems has led to fragmentation and inefficiencies. African nations must adopt uniform statistical methodologies and data-sharing frameworks to enhance the comparability and reliability of statistics. Establishing these standards will also facilitate better collaboration between governments, regional bodies, and international organizations.

Modernizing Statistical Methods to Reflect African Realities

Many of Africa’s statistical methodologies are outdated and do not adequately capture the continent’s diverse economic, social, and environmental landscapes. The reliance on traditional data collection techniques, such as household surveys and census reports, has proven insufficient in addressing the rapidly evolving challenges faced by African countries. Ilboudo emphasized the need for adopting modern approaches, including geospatial data, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI), to enhance the accuracy and timeliness of statistical outputs.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies

A key theme of the discussion was the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and new data sources in transforming the statistical ecosystem. AI-driven analytics can help process vast amounts of data more efficiently, enabling real-time insights for policymakers. Remote sensing technology, mobile data, and machine learning algorithms can also provide more precise demographic and economic trends, which are crucial for planning and development.

Aligning National Statistical Strategies with Development Plans

To ensure that statistical improvements have a lasting impact, Ilboudo called for stronger alignment between national statistical strategies and broader development agendas. Governments must integrate data systems into their national budgets, rather than treating them as separate, externally funded projects. By embedding statistical development within national planning frameworks, African countries can create more robust and self-sustaining data ecosystems.

Mobilizing Domestic Resources for Statistical Advancement

In the face of diminishing international financial support, Ilboudo urged African governments to prioritize local resource mobilization. Public-private partnerships, government funding allocations, and innovative financing models should be explored to sustain statistical agencies. Leveraging domestic financial resources will reduce dependency on external donors and provide more autonomy in setting national statistical priorities.

Ensuring Accessibility and Equity in Statistical Systems

Another crucial aspect discussed was the need for greater access to quality statistics. Data should be accessible to all stakeholders, including governments, researchers, businesses, and civil society organizations. Ensuring open and transparent statistical practices will improve public trust in data-driven policymaking and encourage broader participation in the statistical development process.

 

The future of Africa’s statistical ecosystem hinges on addressing human capital deficits, securing sustainable funding, modernizing methodologies, and embracing technological innovations. Ilboudo’s call to action underscores the urgent need for African nations to take ownership of their statistical development and build resilient, high-quality data systems. By fostering collaboration, investing in skills development, and leveraging emerging technologies, Africa can position itself at the forefront of evidence-based policymaking, driving more effective and impactful development initiatives across the continent.