The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have initiated a collaborative effort to enhance the collection, management, and utilization of data for the benefit of Nigerians. This development was announced during a courtesy visit by the Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, and his management team to the INEC Headquarters in Abuja on September 9, 2025.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, emphasized the significance of this meeting, stating that it marks a crucial step towards leveraging institutional strengths for national development. He noted that while the NBS manages the nation’s largest official database on various aspects of national life, INEC maintains an extensive database of adult citizens for electoral purposes, safeguarded by law and in compliance with the National Data Protection Act.
The primary focus of the meeting was to explore how the NBS can utilize INEC’s network of locations for electoral services to benefit citizens beyond elections. Prof. Yakubu expressed INEC’s willingness to partner with national agencies within the confines of the law while maintaining its independence. He cited the Commission’s support to national agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of similar cooperation, where INEC deployed its vehicles to aid infection prevention and surveillance.
Prof. Yakubu also urged the NBS to consider the state of public facilities used as polling units and ward collation centers in its national reports, particularly in relation to electricity, water, and accessibility for persons with disabilities. He encouraged stakeholders to explore INEC’s Atlas of Electoral Constituencies and Electoral Facilities Locator (EFLoc) as reliable resources for mapping electoral infrastructure across the country.
The Statistician-General of the Federation commended INEC’s diligence and transparency in managing Nigeria’s electoral process, emphasizing the critical role of statistics in governance. He highlighted ongoing efforts to harmonize methodologies across agencies to prevent duplication and ensure the credibility of data. The NBS is developing an Integrated System of Administrative Statistics (ISATS) to enable seamless sharing of real-time data with partner institutions, which will be extended to INEC.
The collaboration between INEC and NBS aims to build a stronger data ecosystem for democracy and development in Nigeria. Both agencies have pledged to sustain the partnership in line with their respective mandates, with a shared commitment to promoting national development through enhanced data collection and management. This partnership is expected to have a positive impact on the country’s electoral process and overall governance.
