By Joy Odor, Abuja
Nigeria’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have sealed a landmark partnership that will see the two institutions pool their vast data resources to strengthen democracy, sharpen governance, and improve service delivery.
The pact, announced during a courtesy visit by the Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu in Abuja on Tuesday, marks the first formal collaboration between the two agencies.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu in his speech, described the alliance as “critical,” stressing that while NBS manages Nigeria’s most comprehensive national database, INEC holds the largest repository of adult citizens’ information for electoral purposes.
“Together, these datasets can drive reforms that touch lives well beyond the ballot box,” Yakubu said.
He urged NBS to factor into its reports of the poor state of public schools that double as polling units and collation centres, many of which lack electricity, water and disability-friendly infrastructure.
“These are not just polling centres; they are schools that train our youths. Let them also benefit from the dividends of democracy,” he emphasized.
Yakubu noted that INEC’s Atlas of Electoral Constituencies and Electoral Facilities Locator (EFLoc) are already publicly available online, reinforcing the commission’s commitment to transparency.
On his part, Adeniran praised INEC’s transparency and technological innovations, declaring that the partnership would make election data more accessible and meaningful to citizens at the grassroots.
“Our mandate is to warehouse and harmonize official data in Nigeria. INEC’s database is vital not just for elections, but for national planning, policymaking, and delivering the dividends of democracy,” the Statistician-General stated.
He explained that NBS coordinates the nation’s statistical system, covering ministries, states, universities, and international partners and would now integrate INEC’s electoral data into its ecosystem.
Citizens, he assured, would soon access INEC’s data in user-friendly formats, including infographics.
Both institutions pledged that the alliance would deepen data-driven governance, eliminate duplication, and create a seamless information-sharing framework between two of Nigeria’s most vital institutions.
“This alliance means INEC’s data won’t just end at the ballot box, it will fuel policies, development programmes, and accountability across all levels of government.
