Funmi Ogundare
A chief lecturer in the Department of Statistics and Director at Epe Campus, Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Abiodun Mohammed Karim, has called for the use of statistics as a central instrument for evidence-based governance in Nigeria, covering public policy, budgeting, elections, national planning and sustainable development.
Karim made the call Thursday, in his exaugural lecture titled, ‘Statistics Beyond Numbers: Linking Faith, Life and Governance in Nigeria’, where he said statistics should be applied beyond conventional calculations to institutional planning, resource management and decision-making.
He argued that credible statistics could help governments identify priority areas, evaluate policy options, forecast future needs and measure policy outcomes.
He warned that without reliable statistical evidence, public policy could become largely speculative.
According to him, “Statistical processes are also critical to electoral integrity, including voter registration analysis, polling-unit distribution, election logistics, opinion polling and post-election audits.”
He noted that statistical techniques could help identify anomalies such as duplicate registrations, abnormal voting patterns and unusually high voter turnout.
The don identified poor data quality, political interference, inadequate funding, weak institutional capacity, low statistical literacy, delayed dissemination and public distrust as some of the challenges limiting the effective application of statistics to democratic governance in Nigeria.
He called for stronger national statistical systems, greater independence for statistical institutions, investment in digital data collection and geospatial technologies, as well as sustained capacity building.
The lecturer also examined the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), big data and machine learning, arguing that the digital revolution had not diminished the importance of statistics but had elevated it.
He said: “Future statisticians would require competencies in probability, data science, machine learning, programming, data visualisation, operations research, Artificial Intelligence, communication and ethics.”
Karim urged tertiary institutions to modernise their curricula, strengthen interdisciplinary research and integrate AI and data science into statistical education.
He also encouraged YABATECH to expand collaborations with industry and government, while promoting applied research, internships and consulting services; and called on the Federal Government to invest in modern statistical infrastructure, strengthen the National Statistical System, promote open-data initiatives and establish a national data bank.
For professional statisticians, Karim advocated adherence to ethical standards, improved communication skills and lifelong learning.
He said the central message of his lecture was that statistics should not be regarded merely as a collection of mathematical techniques but as a way of thinking that enables individuals, institutions and governments to make better decisions through evidence.
“Statistics matters because people matter,” he said, urging policymakers and institutions to embrace evidence, integrity and objectivity in decision-making.