Nigeria’s inability to have a database that accurately classifies businesses into micro, small, medium and large establishments and determine the structure of enterprises in the country by sectors and the spread across the states and all the 774 local government area, have been attributed to a lack of business census.

This was revealed by the Statistician-General of the Federation, Dr. Yemi Kale, at a stakeholder’s sensitization workshop on the National Census of Commercial and Industrial Businesses at Asaba, Delta State.

Commending the effort to have an up to date comprehensive list of all establishments in the country, Kale stated that since 1998, Nigeria has not been able to conduct a business census.

“It may interest you to note that for about two decades, and to be precise since 1998/99, Nigeria has not been able to conduct a Business Census. Thus, the current effort is considered desirable because it will enable us to have an up to date comprehensive list of all establishments in the country.

“It will also help us to determine the structure of enterprises in Nigeria by sectors and the spread across the States and all the 774 LGAs.

“In addition, the census will further help us to classify Businesses into micro, small, medium and large establishments.

According to the NBS boss, in specific terms, the Census will help to provide answers to important questions such as: How many business enterprises do we have in each State of the Federation? Where are these businesses located? What is the employment strength of these businesses? What is the capacity utilization of these businesses? among other important questions.

He added that the information that would be generated would be critical in determining the direction and strength of the nation’s economy.

“It is obvious that the need to maintain a global information society that would guarantee a constant flow of information cannot be over-emphasised. As a developing economy, there is a need for robust and reliable statistical information to be able to manage critical sectors such as Education, Health, Agriculture, Commerce and Industry, Environment, to mention but a few.

“Without these, we cannot make well-informed decisions that will catalyse our social and economic development for the improvement of the welfare of the citizenry.

“This informs the conduct of the NCCIB to enable us track the growth of the economy and the contribution of all relevant sectors. This is designed to complement other important surveys such as the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), National Nutrition and Health Survey (NNHS), General Household Survey-Panel; and the Nigeria Living Standard Survey (NLSS).