Presented By Mrs. O. B. Jaji

Director (PRS)Federal Ministry of Environment

AbujaA Presentation to the ADB Mission on the assessment

of the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics in Nigeria.

Introduction

In line with its statutory mandate for environmental management in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Environment has the responsibility of coordinating of relevant statistics in the Environment Sector for our national requirements and meeting international demands.

Nigeria’s interest in Environment Statistics commenced as far back as 2004 when the Federal Ministry of Environment first received the UNSD Questionnaires on Environment Statistics.

The participation of Nigeria at the Workshop on environment Statistics organized jointly by ECOWAS/UNSD/UNEP and held in Dakar in March 2005 further strengthened Nigeria’s interest in Environment Statistics.

Since then, Nigeria has always participated in many other workshops

organized by the ECOWAS.

Introduction contd.Nigeria has participated actively in the development of

ECOWAS list of Indicators and Methodologies for Environment Statistics.

Nigeria is a member of the expert group in the on-going revision of the United Nations Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics (FDES).

Following the initiative of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) in Nigeria in 2008, the Federal Ministry of Environment inaugurated a Ministerial Committee on the NSDS which later produced a National Strategy for the Development of Statistics in the Environment Sector.

The Ministry’s Strategic Framework for Environment Statistics

VALUES AND PRINCIPLESThe statistical data shall be: of highest quality; credible, of high integrity and

trustworthiness; user-driven; empowering; and promote staff motivation through capacity

building and reward for good performance.

Our Guiding Principles

Activities Undertaken so far

Activities Undertaken so far…2

National Assessment: ObjectivesThe national assessment was meant to: Identify the major producers of environmental

data in the public and private sectors in Nigeria;Assess the type of environmental data currently

being collected by relevant Federal and State Agencies as well as relevant private Organizations and NGOs nationwide;

Collate all available data and harmonize with internationally accepted database of UNSD/UNEP Questionnaire on Environment Statistics and the ECOWAS list of Indicators for Environment Statistics;

Identify the data gapsAssess the capacity of relevant Agencies to

collect environmental data (in terms of available human and material resources, technical-know-how, etc)

Produce a report for useful decision-making for further necessary actions.

Findings from the National AssessmentThe exercise has enabled us to: Identify the key organizations that generate environment statistics; Develop some primary data collection instruments; Appreciate the logistic problems associated with acquisition of data

from various agencies (e.g. reluctance of some Agencies in releasing data);

Appreciate the data gap; The capacity needs for data collection and assemblage in the

various agencies visited.In all, there was a general poor response to the questionnaires and

this poor response can be ascribed to any or all of the following factors:

Lack of understanding of most of the indicators; Lack of established system of regular data collection for the listed

indicators; Lack of appropriate facilities and personnel for data collection and

storage; Lack of budgetary provision for data collection; Non-existence of an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) for data

exchange, hence some Organizations would like to release available data on cost recovery basis.

Way ForwardThe above observations further stressed the need for:   General sensitization on environment statistics at the national level and

this can be done by: Organization of a national seminar/stakeholders' meeting that will be

attended by decision makers of relevant agencies at the Federal and State Government levels, relevant private Organizations and international agencies;

General public enlightenment through the print and electronic media  Drawing up of an MoU on the release of data; Formation of the various organizational structure for environment

statistics; Organization of technical workshop on the compilation and

management of environment statistics for designated desk officers in the various organizations;

 Technical training for subject matter specialists on the actual data collection/measurement on the field including the use of high-tech equipment;

 Identification and provision of relevant equipment for environmental data collection:

 Budgetary provisions in the National Budget Monitoring and Evaluation

The Stakeholders’ Seminar

Participants were:Permanent Secretaries (or their

representatives) of Federal MDAs (Ministries, Departments and Agencies) and State Ministries of Environment nationwide (36 States and Federal Capital Territory);

Main aims of the Seminar are: To bring together all relevant stakeholders

so as to jointly examine the scope of data and information needs; and

Share experiences and chart the way forward.

Objectives of the National Stakeholders’ SeminarThe main objectives of the Seminar were:To deliberate on the report of the National

Assessment on the capacity for production of credible data on Environment Statistics in Nigeria, carried out with UNDP support in 2009.

To facilitate Nigeria’s input to the United Nations (UNEP/UNSD) Questionnaire on Environment Statistics for 2010;

To deliberate on ECOWAS programme on Environment Statistics and the revised list of agreed indicators for the ECOWAS Region;

To deliberate on the formation of a National Steering Committee on Environment Statistics; and

To build synergy and spirit of cooperation among Stakeholders’ with the common national interest of generating a stream of credible environmental data that can be effectively used for socio-economic planning at different levels of Government in Nigeria.

Cross Section of Participants

The Statistician General of NBS Addressing the Participants

Working Group Session

Participants at the National Stakeholders’ Seminar on Environment Statistics in a Group Photograph with the SG of NBS

Technical Workshop banners

Technical Workshop OBJECTIVE AIM

To build a network of professionals on the field who would help in the collation of required environmental data from relevant Agencies, based on agreed indicators and templates

To instill the spirit of team work in these professionals

Participant at the Technical Workshop

The workshop was attended by 50 enthusiastic participants from the Ministry’s field Offices and Federal MDAs.

Distribution of ICT Equipment to Desk Officers On 21st April 2011, we distributed some computers (desktops)

to our Desk Officers in Departments of the Ministry. This event was a major landmark in our efforts towards the

development of environment statistics within the Ministry. The handing over of ICT equipment to Desk Officers in

Departments was a demonstration of the Ministry’s commitment to e-governance. It’s a lowly beginning though, but we hope to be able to build on this as soon as the financial resources are available.

Through these equipment, the Desk Officers will have access to e-learning on their various desks, as soft copies of all currently available training materials on environment statistics will be loaded on their desktops for their private studies.

The event was presided over by the Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Environment, Alhaji Mohammed Sambo Bashar who also gave an opening address

Workshop for Desk Officers from State Ministries of Environment and Federal MDAs held in Abuja (17-18 Nov. 2011)

Participants at the Workshop

Objectives of the WorkshopThe Workshop was aimed at: Familiarising participants

with the ECOWAS methodologies and list of indicators for Environmental Statistics;

Facilitating national compilation of relevant data; and

Developing the best approaches to addressing the several environmental data challenges.

The workshop was attended by a total of 97 participants, comprising of Desk Officers from 27 States Ministries of Environment, eight Federal MDAs, Environmental NGOS, Desk Officers from Departments and Agencies of Federal Ministry of Environment, UNDP Representatives, Resource Persons and the reporters from Media Organizations.

National Workshop for Desk Officers on Environment Statistics

A Cross-section of Participants at the Workshop

Some Member of the High Table at the Workshop

Inter-Ministerial Meeting with Desk Officers from Federal MDAs held in Abuja on 7th – 8th December 2011, in Preparation for Abu Dhabi Summit on Eye on Earth

Consultative Meeting with Desk Officers from Federal MDAsCross-section of Participants

Cross-section of Participants

Participants in Group Discussion

Inter-Ministerial Meeting with Desk Officers from Federal MDAs held in Abuja on 7th – 8th December 2011, in Preparation for Abu Dhabi Summit on Eye on Earth

Closing up with Participants

Desk Officers from Federal MDAs in a Group Photograph

Networking Plans with Key StakeholdersTo date, we have about 100 Desk Officers

located in Federal MDAs, Ministries of Environment in 36 states of the Federation and FCT as well as in all the Departments/ Agencies and 36 Field Offices of the Ministry.

To facilitate on line real time data exchange in the near future , we are planning to establish necessary infrastructure for:

Networking with relevant Federal Ministries/Agencies

Networking with State Ministries of Environment in 36 States and the FCT

The proposed plan is as demonstrated in the following slides…

Networking with Relevant Federal Ministries

Federal Ministry of Environment

Networking with Relevant ParastatalsNNPC: Nigerian National Petroleum

Corporation

AGIS: Abuja Geographic Information

System

NBS: National Bureau of Statistics

NASDRA: National Space Research &

Development Agency

NPC: National Planning Commission

NBC: National Boundary Commission

ECN: Energy Commission of Nigeria

NIMET: Nigeria Meteorological

Agency

RMRDC: Raw Materials Research and

Development Commission

FRSC: Federal Road Safety

Commission

AEPB: Abuja Environmental

Protection Board

OSOGOF: Office of the Surveyor –

General of the Federation

FMENV

Networking with State Ministries of Environment..1

Networking with State Ministries of Environment…2

NIGERIA’S PARTICIPATION IN THE EXPERT GROUP FOR THE REVISION OF THE UN FDES

Nigeria is a member of the Expert Group for the revision of the UN Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics (FDES). The expert Group has been working for the past two years and has produced the draft document which is currently undergoing global consultation.

Members of the Expert Group were drawn from countries across the world, with different stages of development and experiences in environment statistics as well as from international Organizations, to ensure the applicability of the outcome document. These include the followings:

Australia, Austria, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic , Estonia, Finland, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Suriname, United Arab Emirates, and the United States.

 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS European Commission, European Environment Agency, EUROSTAT, FAO

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the United Nations Statistics Division.

A Cross-section of the Expert Group on the UN FDES

Mr. Paul Cheung, Director of the UNSD addressing the Expert Group

The Expert Group in Session

Members of the Expert Group

Future Plans: Short TermWithin the Next one year, we are poised to:

Medium Term PlanIn the medium term (within next two years), our attention

will be focused on the followings: Intensive advocacy for environmental statistics and

information management; Development of network facilities for online data input and

dissemination to the general public in partnership with the National Bureau of Statistics;

Facilitation of regular trainings for subject matter specialists on environmental data gathering from the field in the various thematic areas of air, land, water, waste management, natural disasters, health and environment domains;

Facilitation of access to monitoring equipment; Facilitation of regular funding for statistical activities

Long Term PlanIn the long term (within the next 3-5 years), we intend to

have achieved the followings:Widespread advocacy for environment statistics in Nigeria;Development of our national capacity for regular

production of credible and accessible environmental data in Nigeria;

Facilitation of public access to environmental data and information;

MoU on data exchange with key producers of environmental data;

Establishment of linkage with international environmental information network;

Positioning of environment statistics as one of the major bedrocks for national economic planning and sustainable development in Nigeria.

Challenges and Opportunities for the Development of Environment Statistics and Information Management in NigeriaChallenges: Grossly inadequate financial resources, equipment and material for

environmental data gathering; Need for capacity building for all persons involved in the collation of

environmental statistics as well as the Subject Matter Specialists who are involved in the actual measurement/collection of environmental data on the field;

Need for public awareness on the import of environmental statistics and information in our day to day life;

Need for technology support .Opportunities: A good number of Federal and State Agencies in Nigeria are now

developing interest in environmental monitoring and data gathering; With the recruitment of over one hundred Desk Officers for Environment

Statistics in Federal and State Ministries and Agencies nationwide, a critical mass of workforce for the development of environment statistics in Nigeria is being created;

Opportunities contd.Opportunities: With the gradual rise in advocacy at the high level of governance and public

awareness, environment statistics may soon gain better political support and subsequently better allocation of resources;

Nigeria’s participation in the Expert Group for the Revision of the UN Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics has provided a golden opportunity for sharing international experience on the subject matter.

There exist in Nigeria many agencies in government, private sector, Non-governmental Organization/Civil Society, the academia and research institutions involved in various aspects of environmental monitoring and data gathering capable of providing valuable inputs into a common basket of information.

In consonance with the National Bureau of Statistics’ leadership in the development of national statistics in all sectors of the Nigerian economy, the Federal Ministry of Environment is in good stead to coordinate the collation of relevant statistics in the environment sector and development of a viable National Environmental Information Network (NEIN).

Our Requests Environment Statistics is becoming increasing important in global

discourse. To be able to match up our efforts with the increasing demand for qualitative and quantitative data in the environment sector, we need technical support for:

(i) Manpower development for the technical and administrative personnel that will be involved in the whole process of environmental monitoring, data gathering, processing, storage and dissemination;

(b) Acquisition of relevant environmental monitoring equipment for the relevant Ministries Agencies and Departments;

(c) Acquisition of computer hardware and software for environmental database management; and

(d) Organization of public awareness and advocacy programmes on environment statistics

END

Thank You for Your Attention!

42