By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has praised the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for its commitment to data transparency and availability, describing the Commission’s contribution as critical to Nigeria’s economic planning and statistical reporting.
The commendation was given by the Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Semiu Adeyemi Adeniran, during a visit to the NUPRC headquarters in Abuja.
Leading a delegation of top NBS management officials, Adeniran said reliable oil and gas data remains indispensable to the Bureau’s mandate, given the sector’s significant contribution to Nigeria’s economy.
He noted that the NBS serves as the nation’s central custodian of official statistics and works with all 774 local government areas, the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, academia, multilateral organisations, non-governmental organisations, and federal agencies to generate data that guides government policies and national development.
According to him, the NUPRC’s role as custodian of upstream petroleum data makes it a strategic partner in the production of key national economic indicators.
“If we don’t get data on our oil and gas sector, we cannot release data on GDP,” Adeniran said.
“I want to commend the Commission because for years there are basic data that we have been getting from the Commission. We came to appreciate you for what you are doing because without this data, the government will not have the compass to drive the economy.”
The NBS chief called for deeper institutional collaboration and announced the designation of a dedicated team that will work more closely with the Commission on critical datasets, including crude oil production, gas reserves, oil spill incidents, and information relating to exploration and production companies.
He also disclosed that the Bureau is currently implementing the Integrated System of Administrative Statistics, through which 15 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been onboarded to facilitate seamless digital data exchange.
Adeniran further revealed that the NBS is compiling Petroleum National Accounts under the Natural Capital Accounting framework, a process that requires extensive and accurate industry data.
“We are compiling Petroleum National Accounting under the Natural Capital Accounting system. We require a lot of data in order to build this,” he said.
Responding, the Commission Chief Executive of NUPRC, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, underscored the growing importance of data in governance and decision-making.
She acknowledged the extensive work carried out by the NBS and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to making petroleum industry data accessible in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Eyesan noted that the Commission regularly publishes industry data through its official platforms and emphasized the need for government institutions to embrace technology-driven collaboration.
“As government agencies, we must morph into the point where we automate our systems and then integrate,” she said.
The visit is expected to strengthen cooperation between both agencies as Nigeria seeks to improve data-driven governance, economic planning, and accountability in the oil and gas sector.
