By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage– The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has commended the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for its commitment to data transparency and timely provision of oil and gas sector information, describing the Commission as a critical partner in Nigeria’s economic data ecosystem.
The Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Semiu Adeyemi Adeniran, gave the commendation during a courtesy visit to the NUPRC headquarters in Abuja.
Adeniran, who led a delegation of top NBS management officials, noted that the oil and gas sector remains a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy, making accurate and timely industry data indispensable for national planning and economic assessment.
He explained that as Nigeria’s apex statistical agency, the NBS relies heavily on data from key institutions such as the NUPRC to compile vital economic indicators, including the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“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, government will not have the compass to drive the economy.”
According to him, the NBS serves as the central custodian of official statistics in Nigeria and works closely with all 774 local government areas, the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, academic institutions, multilateral organisations, non-governmental organisations, and federal agencies in generating data that supports evidence-based policymaking.
Recognising the strategic role of the NUPRC as custodian of upstream petroleum data, Adeniran called for deeper collaboration between the two institutions to enhance data exchange and improve the quality of national statistics.
To strengthen the partnership, he announced the designation of a dedicated NBS team that would engage more regularly with the Commission on issues relating to crude oil production, gas reserves, oil spill incidents, and exploration and production activities.
The Statistician-General also disclosed that the NBS is implementing an Integrated System of Administrative Statistics aimed at enabling seamless digital data exchange among government agencies.
“Presently, we are implementing the Integrated System of Administrative Statistics where we have onboarded 15 MDAs to enable seamless exchange of data through digital platforms,” he said.
He further revealed that the Bureau is compiling Petroleum National Accounts under the Natural Capital Accounting framework, a project that requires extensive sectoral data.
“We are compiling Petroleum National Accounting, which is under the Natural Capital Accounting system. So, we require a lot of data in order to build this,” he added.
Responding, the Commission Chief Executive of the NUPRC, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, underscored the growing importance of data in governance and economic management, noting that meaningful decision-making is impossible without reliable information.
She said the Commission remains committed to transparency and regularly publishes upstream industry data in compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Eyesan added that the data is made publicly available through the Commission’s official website and stressed the need for greater digital integration among government institutions.
“As government agencies, we must morph into the point where we automate our systems and then integrate,” she said.
She also acknowledged the important role played by the NBS in providing statistics that support national development and economic planning.
