Reliable data and statistics are necessary for informed decision-making if Africa is to achieve sustainable development, said Oliver Chinganya, the outgoing African Centre for Statistics Director, during his farewell remarks at the 9th Statistical Commission meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Chinganya underscored the critical role statisticians play in generating and delivering reliable data and statistics that meet present and future development needs. 

Reflecting on his tenure at the helm of the African Centre for Statistics (ACS), Chinganya said he led the Centre at a critical juncture when reliable, accurate, and timely data increased in urgency as Africa faced numerous challenges ranging from high debt levels, climate change and food security to lack of better data to inform policy decisions.

“Our role was to ensure that national statistical systems were up to the task of providing reliable data necessary for informed decision-making, both for national governments and for global reporting, such as the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Chinganya whose career has seen him serve in various capacities at the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the African Development Bank before joining the ECA.