Dr. Yemi Kale, the former Statistician-General of the Federation and CEO of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), has revealed that he resisted altering Nigeria’s unemployment data-gathering methodology during his tenure. His comments come after the NBS released new data indicating a 4.1% unemployment rate, contrasting with the previous figure of 33% in Q4 2020.
Kale explained that he opposed changing the methodology for a decade as it didn’t provide meaningful information for policymakers. He stated that adjusting the minimum number of work hours to count as employment was considered. However, the committee decided against considering one hour as it wouldn’t generate a livable income.
Kale emphasized the importance of data in equipping policymakers to understand and address issues effectively. He noted that the 20-hour benchmark was chosen to offer better comparisons, considering the income generated from 20 hours of work in Nigeria compared to one hour of work in the US.
He clarified that before the change, NBS defined unemployment as anything above 40 hours to align with policymakers’ focus on full-time employment promises.
The Head of Communications and Public Relations at NBS, Wakili Ibrahim, defended the new methodology, stating that it aligns with international standards and captures those who earn from just one hour of work. He criticized the previous administration’s handling of NBS, calling it the worst performing and highlighting issues such as lack of resources during that time. He also suggested that the former NBS boss’s comments might be influenced by being forced out after 10 years in the position.