Ghana’s strategy of putting detailed local data directly into the hands of lawmakers has helped secure political support and funding for official statistics at a time when many African statistical agencies face budget constraints, Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu said.
Speaking at the African Regional Forum on Statistical Use in Parliament during the 2026 Global Data Festival in Nairobi, Kenya, Dr. Iddrisu said national statistical offices across the continent are under growing pressure to deliver increasingly sophisticated data while operating with limited resources.
“Across Africa, our national statistics offices are underfunded, understaffed, and often misunderstood by the very people who need our work most,” he said. “And yet the world is asking more of us.”
The demand for data to monitor sustainable development goals, climate change, poverty, employment, and gender equality has expanded significantly in recent years, increasing pressure on governments to strengthen statistical systems while public finances remain constrained.
Ghana’s response has been to make official statistics more relevant to policymakers by linking data directly to constituency-level development challenges, according to Dr. Iddrisu.
Since 2019, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has worked with the Parliament of Ghana, the Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) and the Hewlett Foundation through the Data for Accountability Project, an initiative designed to integrate official statistics into parliamentary decision-making.
Rather than focusing solely on national indicators, the project developed constituency profiles for lawmakers, providing district-level information on poverty, school enrollment, maternal mortality, flood risks, and other development indicators.
The approach helped lawmakers use evidence to support budget requests, development proposals, and oversight activities, Dr. Iddrisu said.
The GSS recently expanded the initiative by publishing multidimensional poverty reports covering all 261 districts nationwide, allowing policymakers to identify localized development challenges rather than relying on national averages.
The agency has also invested in digital platforms aimed at improving public access to data. Its StatsBank portal now provides more than 350 indicators accessible through mobile devices and computers, reducing dependence on periodic statistical reports and enabling users to retrieve information on demand.
“We decided to make data so helpful that no one could ignore it,” Dr. Iddrisu said.
The statistical service is also partnering with Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to digitize Ghana’s parliamentary Hansards using artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, a move expected to improve access to legislative records and support data-driven policy analysis.
According to Iddrisu, these initiatives have helped demonstrate the practical value of official statistics to both Parliament and government, strengthening support for funding statistical activities.
The experience offers lessons for statistical agencies across Africa seeking sustainable financing, he said.
“You can’t win the funding argument on technical grounds alone,” Dr. Iddrisu told delegates. “You win it by making data real. By putting numbers in the hands of the people making decisions.”
The remarks seek to make data reliable to guide economic policy, track development outcomes, and improve public accountability. International organizations and development partners have repeatedly highlighted the importance of stronger national statistical systems for achieving development objectives and attracting investment.
Iddrisu argued that evidence-based policymaking should become a core component of governance, influencing legislation, public spending, and service delivery.
He called for continued investment in independent national statistical institutions, saying trusted data has become essential for effective governance and economic planning.
The Ghanaian model, which combines constituency-level analytics, digital data platforms, and emerging technologies, is increasingly being cited as an example of how statistical agencies can increase their relevance and secure political backing by demonstrating tangible value to decision-makers and citizens alike.
