NBS, UNICEF sign MOU on 2030 data for sustainable development

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) on sourcing of data for the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Dr Yemi Kale, the Statistician General of NBS who made this known in Abuja said that the MoU would enable policymakers track the country’s attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The statistician explained that the MoU was for the conduct of the 6th round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS VI) and the National Immunisation Coverage Survey (NICS).

He said apart from the legal provision requiring UNICEF to partner with NBS in conducting large-scale surveys such as MICS, NICS or SMART Nutrition, they had always partnered with the bureau in carrying out several other small surveys, assessments and evaluation exercises.

According to him, the MICS is an important exercise not just for NBS and the statistical system but for the country.

Kale said that MICD was also the largest source of statistically sound and internationally comparable data adding that such would focus on women, children worldwide, issues such as health, education, child protection, water and sanitation among others.

Kale said NBS was keen in providing the public, government and policy makers useful and reliable statistics to be used for designing and implementing developmental interventions and programmes across the country.

He added that the implementation of the SDGs was already in full swing across the country, adding that programmes and interventions were being designed and implemented to address several areas identified under the SDGs framework.

According to him, policies and programmes are being monitored and evaluated while lessons are also being learnt as to what interventions work and those not working.

“All these efforts require sound, reliable and timely data, and this is what the MICS exercise gives us," he explained.