The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has indicated its willingness to work collaboratively with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to enhance data collection, management, and utilisation for the benefit of Nigerians. Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Commission, assured stakeholders during a courtesy visit from Statistician-General Prince Adeyemi Adeniran and his team at INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has indicated its willingness to work collaboratively with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to enhance data collection, management, and utilisation for the benefit of Nigerians.
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Commission, assured stakeholders during a courtesy visit from Statistician-General Prince Adeyemi Adeniran and his team at INEC Headquarters, Abuja, on Tuesday, 9th September 2025.
Prof. Yakubu called the meeting an important move to leverage both agencies’ strengths for national development. He highlighted that the NBS holds the largest official database on national life, while INEC manages the most comprehensive legally protected voter database, compliant with the National Data Protection Act.
He said: “Today’s meeting focuses on how NBS can leverage the Commission’s network of locations for electoral services for the benefit of citizens beyond elections, which only happen once in four years or as the need arises. We are always willing to partner with national agencies within the confines of the law while maintaining our independence.”
The INEC Chairman noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission supported national agencies by providing vehicles for infection control. He said similar collaboration with NBS would help electoral facilities serve broader social needs.
Prof. Yakubu also urged the Bureau to factor the state of public facilities used as polling units and ward collation centres into its national reports, especially in relation to electricity, water, and accessibility for persons with disabilities. “Let these facilities, which train our youths at the foundation and intermediate levels of the education system, be beneficiaries of the widely proclaimed dividends of democracy,” he said.
The INEC Chairman further encouraged stakeholders to explore INEC’s Atlas of Electoral Constituencies and Electoral Facilities Locator (EFLoc), both available on the Commission’s website, as reliable resources for mapping electoral infrastructure across the country.
Earlier, the Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, commended INEC’s diligence and transparency in managing Nigeria’s electoral process, describing the Commission as indispensable to the nation’s democracy.
He emphasised the critical role of statistics in governance, explaining that the NBS not only produces data but also coordinates the entire National Statistical System, which includes state bureaus of statistics, government agencies, and academic institutions.
Prince Adeniran highlighted ongoing efforts to harmonise methodologies across agencies, aiming to prevent duplication and ensure the credibility of data. He disclosed that NBS was developing an Integrated System of Administrative Statistics (ISATS) to enable seamless sharing of real-time data with partner institutions and pledged to extend this system to INEC.
“This collaboration will ensure that vital data from INEC becomes part of the national statistical architecture, while INEC can also access data from other MDAs for planning and operational purposes,” he said.
Both agencies pledged to sustain the partnership in line with their respective mandates, with a shared commitment to building a stronger data ecosystem for democracy and development in Nigeria.
