NBS Clarifies: No Data on Illegal Activities in GDP, CPI Rebasing

• NBS Statistician-General Prince Adeyemi Adeniran urges CSOs to help disseminate accurate information about GDP and CPI rebasing efforts
• Adeniran emphasizes transparency in data collection, clarifying misconceptions and highlighting the importance of precise economic statistical reporting

The Statistician-General of Nigeria, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, has urged Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to help disseminate accurate information regarding the rebasing of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Speaking at a sensitization workshop in Abuja on Monday, Adeniran announced that the newly rebased figures would be released on Friday.

He emphasized the need for correct statistical data, stating that CSOs must educate the public on rebasing, which is essential for effective economic planning.

He called for more engagement with CSOs and other stakeholders to ensure transparency, stating, “We will continue interactive sessions to clear misconceptions about data collection, including hidden activities such as narcotics trade.”

Addressing concerns about misinterpretation of previous statements, he clarified that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) does not include illegal activities such as prostitution and kidnapping in its data.

“The only data we received from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was on the destruction of narcotics, which represents just 0.01% of the total data collected—too negligible to impact the final figures,” Adeniran explained.

During the Q&A session, he confirmed that gender is not a factor in assessing spending for CPI, as both men and women are considered consumers affected equally by economic trends.

On the delay in conducting the rebasing exercise, Adeniran explained that while it should ideally be done every five years, financial and logistical challenges have hindered many African countries from doing so regularly.

“This is the first time we are rebasing both GDP and CPI simultaneously—a rigorous and extraordinary task,” he added.

The methodology for the rebasing, which began in 2023, was presented by Mr. Moses Waniko and Dr. Ayo Andrew Anthony.

The exercise was conducted with inputs from key national and international organizations, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).