The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has initiated a regional training program aimed at strengthening national statistical systems and enhancing the quality, credibility, and accessibility of official data across West Africa. The five-day training, which began in Monrovia, Liberia, on October 5, 2026, brings together managers from National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and National Statistical Systems (NSSs), as well as officials from the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA), West African Monetary Institute (WAMI), and technical staff of the ECOWAS Commission. This program is funded by the World Bank through the Project for the Harmonisation and Improvement of Statistics in West and Central Africa (HISWACA).
The training program seeks to equip statistical managers with modern leadership and management skills, enabling them to navigate an increasingly complex data environment, lead teams effectively, improve institutional performance, and respond to emerging challenges, including digital transformation and the responsible use of artificial intelligence. According to the Director General of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), Richard Fatorma Ngafuan, this initiative is crucial for strengthening leadership within National Statistical Systems, emphasizing the need for statistical institutions to maintain professional integrity while managing institutional change and technological transformation.
The ECOWAS Resident Representative in Liberia, Ambassador Mohammed Kenewui Konneh, highlighted the importance of effective leadership in building strong, credible, and professional National Statistical Systems. Although ECOWAS has made progress in harmonizing statistical frameworks and methodologies across the region, several challenges persist, including inadequate leadership capacity, shortages of human and technical resources, difficulties in data production and accessibility, and the politicization of official statistics. Konneh emphasized that competent statistical managers are required to translate regional standards into effective national implementation while protecting the independence and integrity of official statistics.
The Director of Research and Statistics at WAMI, Sherif Torey, stressed that reliable, timely, and comparable statistics are indispensable to sound economic policymaking and regional integration. The responsibilities of National Statistical Offices have expanded significantly, requiring managers to combine technical competence with leadership, effective resource management, innovation, and strict adherence to professional standards. Torey emphasized the need for statistical leaders to strengthen institutional capacity, embrace innovation and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, while safeguarding the professional independence and integrity of official statistics.
The training program also coincides with the launch of Liberia's Country Report on the Dynamics of Socio-Economic Performance, Food Security, and the Challenges of Regional Integration in ECOWAS. The report was launched by Liberia's Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, who described it as an important instrument for evidence-based policymaking and regional development. The report outlines Liberia's efforts under the government's "ARREST Agenda" for Inclusive Development, particularly in fiscal management, revenue mobilization, infrastructure, agriculture, governance, and human capital development.
The Minister urged stakeholders to use the findings of the report to guide investment decisions, public policy, and development interventions. He emphasized that the launch of the report is only the beginning and that its true value lies in how stakeholders use it to translate findings and recommendations into concrete actions capable of advancing inclusive and sustainable development in Liberia. The twin focus on statistical leadership and the Liberia country report underscores the growing importance of credible data to ECOWAS' efforts to address economic, food security, and development challenges while deepening regional integration.
For a region seeking greater policy coordination and economic integration, participants at the Monrovia training are expected to strengthen the capacity of national statistical institutions to generate data that can be trusted by governments, businesses, development partners, and citizens. The success of this program will ultimately depend on its impact after participants return to their respective institutions, translating the knowledge gained into institutional reforms and improved data quality. The ECOWAS Commission, through this initiative, aims to support the development of credible, responsive, and professional statistical systems across West Africa.
Key points
- ECOWAS launches training program to enhance statistical leadership and data quality across West Africa
- The program aims to address data credibility concerns and support regional integration and economic policymaking
- The training program is part of the World Bank-funded Project for the Harmonisation and Improvement of Statistics in West and Central Africa (HISWACA)
