We live in an age of data abundance, but not accuracy. For all our satellites and supercomputers, much of the nations of the world still do not know how many people truly live within its borders. The world now houses an estimated value of over 8.1 billion people, yet nearly 60 countries haven’t conducted a population census in the last decade.Roughly one in five nations lack recent population data accurate enough to guide economic planning.
Renowned scholar and demographer Edward Paice in his book “Youth Quake” concluded that, without accurate data, leadership is reduced to guesswork.Paice points out that Nigeria as a country last conducted a census in 2006. Nearly two decades of policy and planning have rested on projections rather than facts. Nigeria is not alone. Many African nations, and indeed countries across the globe, are struggling with outdated or unreliable statistics. What this means is that governments are attempting to distribute aid, plan education systems, or expand infrastructure for populations whose true numbers they cannot verify. Could this be why so many citizens feel excluded from the dividends of democracy ?
Too often, bureaus of statistics have become dormant institutions. Without data, nations of the world cannot measure hunger, education gaps, or unemployment with any credibility. We cannot track progress toward the SDGs or even know who is being left behind.
With innovations in digital mapping, mobile surveys, and artificial intelligence, the tools to conduct reliable censuses now exist, what is missing is the political will and institutional reform to use them. Quality statistics are not abstract figures; they are lives counted, voices recognised, and futures planned.
World Statistics Day is a call to action. It reminds us that to lead well is to know your people, and to know your people, you must first count them. The world cannot afford to build tomorrow’s societies on the shaky ground of estimates. The time to invest in accurate, inclusive, and transparent statistics for future generations is now.
Because in the end, statistics are not just about numbers. They are about us.
By Celestine Imianmian
Associate, Youth Activators Lab, 2025 Cohort
