UNICEF and National Bureau of Statistics Urge Enugu State to Take Full Ownership of MICS7 Survey for Evidence-Based Planning

NBS and UNICEF urge Enugu State to take ownership of the MICS7 survey to improve resource allocation in education and health. Data collection ends March 2026.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 4, 2026, 4:21 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Independent Newspaper Nigeria

Strengthening Local Data Governance

A high-level delegation from UNICEF Nigeria and the NBS visited the Enugu State Government House to brief leadership on the progress of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey Round 7 (MICS7). Adeyemi Adeniran, the Statistician-General of the Federation, stressed that while the NBS provides the framework, the project’s success relies on the state "taking ownership" of the process. By integrating state-selected enumerators from various local ministries, the NBS aims to ensure that the final data is viewed as a home-grown resource rather than an external imposition.

A 35-Year Partnership for Progress

Wayne Bacale of UNICEF Nigeria highlighted that the collaboration with the NBS has spanned over three decades, making Nigeria’s MICS data the most frequently downloaded globally. MICS7 is a multi-partner initiative supported by the United Nations and the Government of Canada, currently being conducted simultaneously across all 36 Nigerian states and the FCT. The survey monitors key indicators related to the welfare of women and children, providing a vital health check for the nation’s social services.

Fueling Enugu’s Data-Driven Agenda

Representing Governor Peter Mbah, Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning Nathaniel Uruama welcomed the timing of the survey. He noted that the current administration is "data-driven," citing the significant allocation to education in the 2026 budget as a prime example of resource distribution that requires accurate statistics. The state government expressed a desire for even deeper involvement in data strategies to ensure the results accurately reflect the ground realities in Enugu's rural and urban sectors.