Abstract
Nigeria faces a myriad of development challenges in her efforts to grow the economy, create jobs and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Since independence, the Government has developed many Plans and Strategies, including the current Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, in an attempt to address these challenges. The ERGP, which is broadly aligned to the SDGs, is aimed at improving macroeconomic stability; fostering economic growth and diversification; improving competitiveness; fostering social inclusion; and enhancing governance and security. Recent information, communication and technological advances have led to data -from both conventional and unconventional sources- to be readily available in high volumes and velocity and in a variety of forms, or simply, to a Data Revolution. This paper examines the role of Big Data and Data Revolution in promoting sustainable development in Nigeria, as well the emerging opportunities for Statisticians in this regard. The paper posits that the attainment of the SDGs will be greatly hampered if Statisticians do not ask the right questions; access relevant data information and, crucially, perform deeper analytics around data and information. Statisticians have an important role to play in promoting Nigeria’s sustainable development agenda, but only if they become more entrepreneurial; and adequately master and apply the requisite technical and non-technical skills.
Highlights
Data and information have become an important driver of economic growth and sustainable development in the 21st Century
Poverty reduction was not commensurate with the rapid economic growth registered during this period, with Nigeria registering a Growth Elasticity of Poverty of 0.6 percent (Note 6) as compared to 1.2 percent for sub-Saharan Africa and 2.2 percent for Least Developed Countries during the same period
Data and information from a multiplicity of sources- both conventional and unconventional- have become integrated into almost all aspects of present-day life and are an important driver of growth and sustainable development
Summary
Data and information have become an important driver of economic growth and sustainable development in the 21st Century They determine the pace and direction of socio-economic development; and even political choices people make or have to contend with. The SDGs are indivisible and interrelated; and are aimed at ending poverty and deprivation, everywhere and for everybody, while leaving no one behind and reaching the furthest first They represent a shift from a narrow focus on achievement of rather unambitious numerical targets to a focus on higher targets and qualitative and durable change in the lives of people, and the environment. A summary of the development challenges facing Nigeria and the national plans and strategies adopted to address them is presented in Section three while in Section four the role of Big Data and Statistics in promoting sustainable development in Nigeria is discussed.
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