Experts at the International Conference of the Chartered Institute of Statisticians of Nigeria (CISON) have stressed the importance of leveraging big data and statistical methodologies for national development.
The experts made the call at the pre-conference workshop of the 2nd Annual International Conference of CISON, on Wednesday in Asaba.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that theme of the conference was, “Big Data and Analytics in Nigeria: Developing A National Data Ecosystem for Enhanced National Prosperity”.
The CISON President, Dr Godday Ebuh, said that virtually all sectors, including news reporting, education, health and security, were being transformed by artificial intelligence and big data analytics.
”Every organisation, whether public or private, must embrace these tools to remain relevant,” he 5said.
Ebuh said that Nigeria was already behind in adopting global data practices, urging stakeholders to act swiftly.
Highlighting the importance of accurate data in policy formulation, Ebuh cited the lack of an updated national census since 2006 as a major challenge.
“Every good policy is based on data. Without robust statistics, planning becomes mere estimation.
”We must know our population, their needs, and use that to inform government decisions across sectors,” he said.
He also called for building a strong national data ecosystem to enable precise planning and implementation at both federal and state levels.
He urged stakeholders to act swiftly, noting that Nigeria is already behind in adopting global data practices.
Also, Dr Michael Mbah, Chairman of the National Organising Committee, said that the conference would serve as a platform for statisticians and data professionals to deliberate on national issues.
Mbah, who also represented the Central Bank of Nigeria, said that the conference would afford the participants the opportunity of sharing knowledge on statistical theory and methodology, and explore applications in health, education, security and finance.
”Everything now revolves around data. Professionals trained in big data analytics and AI will be able to make informed decisions in their workplaces, ultimately strengthening national development,” he said.
The Delta State Director of Statistics, Nkechi Maduemezia,
said that the conference was about equipping participants to leverage big data across sectors that truly impact citizens’ lives.
Maduemezia, who is also the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, echoed the sentiment, emphasising the growing awareness of data’s relevance.
“Unlike before, people are now talking about statistics.
”This conference is about equipping participants to leverage big data across sectors that truly impact citizens’ lives,” she said.
NAN reports that the conference brought together statisticians, economists and data scientists from across the country to discuss innovations in AI, big data analytics and their applications across sectors.
NAN
