Quality statistics and sustainable funding critical for effective policymaking in Africa

Africa faces immense challenges in adequate and skilled human capital to produce quality statistics for evidence-based policymaking, says Tinfissi-Joseph Ilboudo, Officer in Charge of the African Centre for Statistics.

Relying on international financial support to produce critical information for and about Africa is impeding statistical development, he told delegates attending the Expert’s segment of the 2025 ECA Conference of Ministers.

“We need sustainable funding of data systems to ensure we are tackling the right issues,” he said.

Illoudo underlined the importance of data governance and quality statistics to drive informed evidence-based policymaking, something that is currently under threat as a result of a lack of capacity.

Outdated statistical methods often do not reflect African realities, he said, leading to the production of data that may not accurately represent local conditions.

The big question for the future of the statistics ecosystem is how African statistical agencies can use artificial intelligence and new data sources to tackle the new priorities in the national, regional and international development agencies.

The issue of standards is also critical, he said, and this should exist at all tiers of governance to ensure coordination between global and regional systems. He also stressed the need to prioritize greater access to quality statistics and the need for sustainable funding of data systems for the statistical ecosystem in Africa.

Mr. Ilboudo recommended leveraging technological innovation to transform national statistical systems; aligning national statistics strategies with national development plans and budget processes; and mobilising national resources to support the transformation and modernization of national systems in the context of declining international sources of funding.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

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