The Survey which is coming after a similar one conducted twenty-two years ago (1997/98) is necessary, especially now that the current government is restructuring the economy for faster growth through support to Small, Medium and large-scale enterprises, in order to increase their productivity.
The National Business Sample Census is expected to last two months from October 12 to December 12.
The main objectives of NBSC includes:
To compile, frame, and develop instruments and concepts, establish standards and methodology for industrial and business surveys in Nigeria.
To serve as a benchmark for updates of subsequent commercial and industrial sector statistics.
The National Bureau of Statistics, with the support of the World Bank, has commenced the process of implementing the 2020 National Business Sample Census (NBSC) in Nigeria. This is exactly two decades and two years after the last business census of establishments in the country.
Pulse.ng reports that, The Federal Government is set to conduct a census of all businesses in the country, to ensure accurate statistical representation, operations and contribute to policymaking for national development.
Mr Clem Agba, Minister of State, Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, made this known at the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) workshop in Abuja on Monday.
The Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop organised by NBS was for the National Business Sample Census (NBSC).
Agba, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Olusola Idowu, said the training was taking place at a time of increased demand for comprehensive, accurate and reliable statistics.
“There is no doubt that the conduct of a national census of commercial and industrial businesses will help to increase the quantum and the quality of statistics required for positive combination, plan, monitoring and evaluation of government programmes and projects.
“This is critical especially at this point that Nigeria is in the process of designing a medium-term and a prospective development plan tagged ‘Nigeria Agenda 2050’.
“The essence of achieving the present administration’s reform agenda and other development programmes, such as the Sustainable Development Goals and Africa Agenda 2063, can only be realised through the use of time-bound and accurate data.
“Thus, it is our expectation that the experiences which will be shared during the workshop, the resolutions and agreements which will come out of this, will help in a great extent to strengthen the existing systems of statistical production in Nigeria.”
The minister said that the current administration had the mandate of the bureau at the centre of its agenda, which it was determined to achieve.
He said that the ministry would provide the necessary support the bureau needed aimed at its repositioning and strengthening to cope with its budget challenges ‘in order to ensure its sustainability’.
He further charged the NBS to ensure effective and optimal utilisation of the resources available so as to achieve the purpose for which the project was designed.
The minister also directed the participants to come up with feasible ways of improving the delivery of good statistical information for informed decision.
He, however, said the training would equip the personnel to train the data collectors to ensure they were equipped with the knowledge and processes of the survey or census.
Source: https://www.pulse.ng/business/fg-to-conduct-census-of-businesses/bmmnbnd