The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) came into being with the merger of the Federal Office of Statistics (FOS) and the National Data Bank (NDB). The creation was part of the implementation of the Statistical Master Plan (SMP), a programme document of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN).

The merger was to give the agency a national outlook as the apex statistical agency for all the three tiers of Government.

NBS is expected to coordinate Statistical Operations of the National Statistical System in the production of Official Statistics in all the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), State Statistical Agencies (SSAs) and Local Government Councils (LGCs)

Nigeria operates Federal System of government with 36 States and Federal Capital Territory and 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs). At the federal level, each Ministry, Department and Agency has Director of Statistics. Each state has Director of Statistics and Head of statistics Unit at Local Government Areas. All these including Statistical Institutes constitute the Nigeria National Statistical System (NSS).

The Internal Organisation of the bureau is built on Statistics Act of 2007 which is the Legal Instrument established by the Acts of Parliament.

The governing board of the bureau comprises of 15 members:

• 6 Political members from each of the six geo-political zone of the country appointed by the President and approved and confirmed by the senate.
• 9 Institutional members. The members are
• The Minister of National Planning Commission or his Representative
• The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria or his Representative
• The Minister of Finance or his Representative
• The Minister of Agriculture or his Representative
• The Minister of Education or his Representative
• The group Managing Director NNPC or his Representative
• The President Manufacturer Association of Nigeria or his Representative
• The President of Nigeria Statistical Association
• Statistician General and Chief Executive of the NSO as the secretary

The Chairman of the Board is appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister of National Planning Commission.

• Corporate Planning and Technical Coordination
• Demographic and Social Statistics
• Macro-Economic Statistics
• Real Sector and Household Statistics
• Field Services and Methodology
• Finance and Accounts
• Administration
• Information and Communication Technology

• Legal
• Research and Policy Analysis
• Internal Audit
• Project Implementation Task Team
• Public Affairs and International Relations
• SERVICOM
• Anti-Corruption and Transparency

• South West - Ibadan
• South East - Enugu
• South South - Calabar
• North West - Kaduna
• North Central - Jos
• North East - Maiduguri

State office in the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory

Schools of statistics at Ibadan, Enugu and Kaduna