NBS Launches General Household Survey (GHS) Panel Wave 5: Tracking Household Resilience Over Time

By

Prudence Melvin

Communication and Public Relations Department

Abuja, Nigeria – November 21, 2024 – The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) officially launched the General Household Survey (GHS) Panel Wave 5 for 2023/2024 at an event held yesterday at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja. This marks a significant milestone in Nigeria's data collection efforts, with the GHS-Panel providing invaluable insights into the resilience and economic well-being of Nigerian households.

CROSS-SECTION OF NBS MANAGEMENT AND INVITED GUESTS AT THE LAUNCH

The launch event featured key speeches from prominent leaders, including the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Dr. Ndiame Diop, who highlighted the importance of the panel data in understanding household responses to economic shifts, such as price changes and policy interventions. Dr. Diop described the GHS-Panel as essential for guiding informed decision-making to improve the livelihoods of Nigerians.

In his welcome address, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, the Statistician-General of the Federation, highlighted the unique nature of the GHS-Panel, noting its role as a longitudinal survey that has tracked 5,000 households across five waves of data collection since 2010. “This is the first time any African National Statistics Office has undertaken such an extensive survey, which allows us to deeply understand the changing dynamics of Nigerian households over time,” Prince Adeniran said.

THE STATISTICIAN-GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION/CEO NATIONAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS DURING THE LAUNCH

The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Zainab Bisagai on behalf of H.E. Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, CON, Minister of Budget and National Planning, who emphasized the critical role of data in shaping Nigeria’s national budget and long-term development plans. She declared the official launch of the GHS-Panel Wave 5, emphasizing its potential to guide strategic planning and policy decisions.

The event also included a technical session, where a World Bank expert introduced the Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) and presented key findings from the latest wave of the GHS-Panel. Discussions focused on how the data could be used to inform research, policymaking, and the design of social welfare programs. Participants had the opportunity to engage with the findings and explore how they can contribute to evidence-based policymaking across various sectors.

CROSS-SECTION OF NBS MANAGEMENT AND INVITED GUESTS AT THE LAUNCH

The GHS-Panel Wave 5 is an essential resource for understanding the economic conditions, resilience, and well-being of Nigerian households. The data collected over the past decade provides critical insights to inform poverty reduction initiatives, social welfare programs, and strategies for sustainable economic development.

As Nigeria continues to navigate its development challenges, the GHS-Panel remains a powerful tool in ensuring that policies are data-driven and responsive to the needs of the nation’s citizens.

OFFICIAL LAUNCH/GROUP PHOTOGRAH