AFRICA INFORMATION HIGHWAY
Department of statistics, ESTA
- Chief Economist Complex, ECON
Outline
 Introduction
 The Africa Information Highway
 Data Transmission scheme
 AIH Characteristics
 Implementation
 The Way Forward
Introduction 1/2
 The World is experiencing a huge increase in the volume,
types and availability of data, which are getting bigger and
more detailed than ever before - Data Revolution
 Unprecedented possibilities for informed decision-making and
accountability in all sectors, but with some challenges
including:
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Diverse types of data and data producers, proliferation of tools and
technologies of data collection.
Need to strengthen the coordination, governance and partnerships at all
levels and make them more inclusive to bring on board new players
especially the private sector, NGOs, and civil society
Weakness of NSS especially in data analysis
Information access inequalities
Introduction 2/2
 Failure to address these challenges will widen the gap between
developed and developing countries and between rich and poor
people within each group.
 The African Development Bank has been addressing some of
the above challenges through:
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SCB program focusing on: (i) organizational and methodological work to
promote statistical infrastructure development; (ii) promoting the
harmonization of data generation and dissemination practices and
standards across all its member countries in line with international best
practice; and (iii) training officials from member countries and Regional
Economic Communities in various statistical areas.
An Action Plan for Africa was formulated under the GS for improving
statistics for food security, sustainable agriculture and rural development
Africa Information Highway
The Africa Information Highway (AIH)
What is the AIH ?
 AFDB’s programme that has linked all African countries
through the Open Data Initiative.
 Targeted to NSOs
 Typical system make-up
 Data Portal
 Open Data Portal (ODP)
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Weekly food prices
Farmers Registration and digitization
Health facilities and cost of health services
Dashboards on several issues including food security
AIH: Objectives
 Facilitate easy public access of official statistics to
policymakers, analysts, business leaders, researchers,
students and the general public.
 Improve evidence-based decision making, public
accountability, policy formulation and overall good
governance
 Improve data harmonization/standardization, thereby
increase data comparability.
 Tool for seamless exchange of data among countries.
 Capacity building of IT capabilities in country statistical
offices
AIH: Capability/Functionality
 Users can access a wide range of development data on
African countries.
 Users can visualize socio-economic indicators over a
period of time, gain access to presentation-ready
graphics and perform comprehensive analysis on a
country and regional level.
 Platform also facilitates the collection, analysis and
sharing of data among countries and with international
development partners.
 Joint missions with IMF
 16 countries
Data Transmission: Current Method (1/4)
IMF
AfDB
Other…
Country data
Data mapping to
Requested formats
Submission to partners
and Int. Organizations
Current process
• Organization specific data mapping and formats leading to repetitive work
• Lack of common standards
• Reporting burden heavy on countries
Data Submission Tool
Data Transmission: Future process (2/4)
Future data submission process
by countries
(Inclusion
of SDMX technology)
Data Submission tool
Country data
AfDB
Open Data
Data mapping to
International Standards (SDMX)
in AfDB’s Open Data platform
IMF
WB
Other…
Submission to partners
and Int. Organizations
To-be process
• Countries map data to international standards (SDMX) and load in the AfDB’s
Open Data platform
• Data collecting organizations pick from the Open Data platform .
Data Transmission: Scheme based on SDMX
(3/4)
Dissemination
Multilateral data
Repository ”SDMX”
DSDs
Data Query
Data Notification
ECA IMF World Bank etc.
Data Transmission: Overall Framework of
the Platform (4/4)
Central Bank
National
Statistical Office
Ministry Of
Finance
AfDB/[Country]
Open Data Platform
ECOWAS
*
Central Bank
ODP
WB
Natl. Stat. Office
ODP
IMF
Min. Of Finance
ODP
* Provided by AfDB under the
Capacity Building Program to all
African countries
Dashboards and
Visualizations
National Summary
Data Page (SDMX)
others
AIH Characteristics: New Approach (1/2)
 A multilateral repository for all data; one stop-shop
 Move from “push” to “pull” or query model
 Query the repository; subscribe to get notification when
updates are available
 Dissemination and not reporting
 Access to data in SDMX format
 Promote the use of internationally recognized standards,
for better harmonization thru DSDs.
AIH Characteristics: Advantages (2/2)
1. Reduced data-reporting burden for RMCs
2. Promoting the regional integration and harmonization agenda
3. Improving data quality through enhanced adherence to
international standards
4. Significantly improving data exchange among RMCs
5. Increasing data access, transparency, accountability
6. Enhancing RMCs’ access to capital markets
7. Platform for the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of
development outcomes
8. Enhanced data support for Bank operations
9. AfDB as a hub/knowledge center for development data on
RMCs
Implementation (1/2)
 Installations of the system in countries started in January
2013
 Development and installation of Statistical Data Portals
completed in 49 countries.
 Open Data Platform completed for all 54 African countries.
Implementation Challenges (2/2)
 Internet infrastructure still weak in many African countries and/or
Stat offices.
 Information Technology (IT) staffing levels still very low in
Statistical offices.
 Countries still face data management challenges
 Advocate for governments to release timely data
 Promote the use of Open data
 Availability of data does not guarantee its use
Way Forward
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Introduce robust Data Governance program
Advocate for governments to release timely data
Advocate the use of data for decision making
Improve data management in countries
Promote the use of Open data
DEMO
Nigeria FS Dashboards
http://knoema.com/rynenif/nigeria-food-security
DRC FS Dashboards
http://knoema.com/dqezwbf/democratic-republic-of-congofood-security
Farmers Registry
http://dpengine.prognoz.com/afi/demo/Others/main.html
Thank you!
www.afdb.org/statistics
Statistics Department
Chief Economist Complex
African Development Bank Group