FG Tasks States’ Statisticians on GDP Compilation for Economic Growth

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The federal government has tasked the states’ Statistician-Generals on the compilation of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of their respective states in order to enhance data accuracy, economic growth and development.

The Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, gave the charge at the 2025 1st bi-annual meeting of the National Consultative Committee on Statistics in Katsina.

He said the statisticians should drive the compilation of GDP in their respective states and encourage their state governors to effectively utilise the data when compiled, for economic growth.

He added the compilation of the states’ GDP will promote development at sub-national levels and determine the size of the economy of each state of the federation for development to thrive.

Adeniran explained the national bureau of statistics is supporting each state of the federation to ensure that they compile their state’s gross domestic product for budgeting and economic benefits.

He said: “One of the constant data requests coming from users and stakeholders in the past few years, including from states, has been state GDP. Users and interest groups want to know the size and potential of states for various reasons, mainly for developmental and investment purposes.

“So, it was only right that, as the Coordinator of the Statistical System, NBS took the initiative to work with the states to actualise this vision of having state GDP numbers for all the 36 states and the FCT, through a coordinated effort.

“When you compile your GDP, you will be able to determine which sector is driving the growth in the state, which sector requires additional efforts the state government needs to put in so more growth and more size of the economy can be achieved.”

Adeniran, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), added the meeting aimed at mapping out strategies to ensure that states sufficiently take ownership of the exercise and its output.

In his remarks, Governor Dikko Umaru Radda admonished the participants to advance improved methodology for the compilation of state gross domestic product to tackle what he termed slow development at sub-nationals.

He said the Katsina State Government will ensure that all statistical data for the state are uploaded on the state-of-the-art website for legitimate use by all and sundry.

Represented by his Deputy, Hon. Faruk Lawal, the governor noted the era of conducting surveys in the state without complying with research ethics and using bogus methodology is over.

“In this sense, I charge the bureau to ensure full compliance with the recently introduced Ethical Clearance in the state. The Ethical Clearance is not meant to be a stringent precondition for researchers, but rather a means to ensure that the scientism of the survey is adhered to”, he added.