Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has underscored the pivotal role of data in shaping Nigeria’s development trajectory, stressing the importance of a robust and integrated national data ecosystem in driving economic growth and prosperity.
The Governor made this known on Thursday in Asaba, while declaring open the 2nd International Conference of the Chartered Institute of Statisticians of Nigeria (CISON), hosted by Delta State. The conference had as its theme: “Big Data and Analytics in Nigeria: Developing a National Data Ecosystem for Enhanced National Prosperity.”
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu, Governor Oborevwori described the theme as “apt, timely and forward-looking”, noting that it captured the essence of Nigeria’s current socio-economic realities.
“I congratulate the Institute for sustaining this important platform for dialogue on the role of data and analytics in shaping Nigeria’s development trajectory,” he said.
The Governor highlighted how his administration has embraced data-driven governance to enhance planning and development across sectors. According to him, the state had consistently supported the Central Office of Research and Statistics with funding to undertake and publish several statistical surveys.
He listed some of the surveys undertaken in the last one year, including: Delta State Market Calendar 2025, Delta State Statistical Yearbook 2024, Delta State Road Traffic Survey 2024, Delta State GDP (2021 & 2022), Delta State Labour Force Survey 2025, Delta State Poverty Mapping 2025 and Delta State GDP (2023 & 2024).
Oborevwori explained that these surveys had been instrumental in shaping policy decisions and resource allocation, adding that the “true promise of big data lies not in the volume of numbers collected, but in our ability to transform those numbers into actionable knowledge that drives policy and societal change.”
Highlighting the human impact of data, the Governor revealed that through data provided by poverty mapping and the social register, his administration, under the Data Community Action and Resilience (DECARES) initiative, had supported over 300,000 poor and vulnerable households with targeted interventions.
He also called on statisticians to embrace modern tools such as big data analytics and machine learning while ensuring ethical standards through improved data governance and privacy frameworks.
“As we transition into an era where knowledge, information, and technology drive economic growth, the imperative of a robust and integrated national data ecosystem cannot be overemphasized,” he added.
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Delivering a goodwill message, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, represented by Mr. Matthew Ng, described big data analytics as a “game-changer” for education. He emphasized its potential in optimizing resource allocation, shaping policies, and personalizing learning experiences to improve outcomes across the sector.
Similarly, the Delta State Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Sunny Ekedayan, commended CISON for selecting Delta State as host, describing the gathering as evidence of the increasing recognition of data as a driver of national destiny.
Earlier in his welcome address, the President of CISON, Dr. Ebuh Godday, urged Nigeria to harness the power of big data for policy formulation and sustainable national development, describing the conference as both “timely and visionary.”
The Statistician-General of the Federation and CEO of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, and the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (Economic Policy), represented by Dr. Usman Okpanachi, also delivered remarks on the relevance of big data in strengthening national institutions and economic planning.
The highpoint of the event was the presentation of a plaque to Governor Oborevwori and his decoration with CISON paraphernalia in recognition of his administration’s consistent support for statistics and evidence-based governance.
