Covid-19: Number Politics and Data Collection in Nigeria Health Sector

Abstract

Data collection was one among the numerous issues that became manifest in Nigeria with the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. This inadequacy reflected in other areas within the country with adverse effects on different aspects of the people’s life. This paper examined the negative effects of the poor culture of data management in Nigeria. This is done with particular reference to the difficult of contract tracing of those who came in contact with the index case. It argued that such problem could have been averted in the first instance, if the country had a good attitude of keeping adequate data in every sector. Through ahistorical survey of issues relating to data collection particularly census in the country, the paper showed that deficiency in data management is an age long problem in Nigeria. It argued that this deficiency in data processes has taken its turn on the country, and it is doing a disservice to the entire system. It is, therefore, recommended that government at all levels need to brace up in their responsibility toward effective and efficient data management. One way to achieving this is that all agencies in the Nigerian government that are responsible for data collection should learn the importance and practice of data collection as it is being done in advance nations. Furthermore, government can collaborate with private bodies that are into data collection with the aim of achieving better results in this regard.