Online Reporter
Tapiwanashe Mangwiro
Zimbabwe’s push to modernise its national data systems has received fresh backing from the United Nations, with development partners describing the country’s new statistical reform programme as critical for economic planning, investment attraction and inclusive growth.
This emerged during the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS IV) orientation workshop held in Harare this week, where Government officials, statisticians, development agencies, academics and private sector representatives gathered to begin shaping the country’s statistical roadmap for 2026 to 2030.
Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency director-general Mrs Tafadzwa Bandama told delegates that the new strategy would be central to strengthening Zimbabwe’s National Statistical System at a time when demand for reliable and timely data was increasing across all sectors of the economy.
“As Zimbabwe continues to implement its national development agenda under the National Development Strategy II, the demand for reliable, timely, relevant and disaggregated data has never been greater,” she said.
Mrs Bandama added that evidence-based decision-making had become essential for economic management, policy coordination and accountability.
“Evidence-based decision making is no longer optional; it is a necessity,” she said.
The NSDS IV programme is expected to guide the production, management and coordination of official statistics across government ministries and institutions while aligning Zimbabwe with international frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The workshop also received strong support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which said modern data systems were increasingly becoming strategic national assets rather than merely technical tools.
In remarks delivered on behalf of the UN as co-chair of the Data for Development and Innovation Technical Working Group, UNFPA representative Ms Miranda Tabifor described the launch of NSDS IV as “a critical milestone and a powerful signal of Zimbabwe’s commitment to evidence-based planning and inclusive development”.
She said the timing of the strategy was particularly important as Zimbabwe accelerated implementation of National Development Strategy II and broader development goals.
“Data is no longer a mere technical output; it is a strategic asset that drives policy, secures investment, and ensures that no one and no place is left behind,” Ms Tabifor said.
Her remarks reflect growing international recognition that robust statistical systems are now central to attracting investment, monitoring economic performance and improving public sector efficiency.
In recent years, Zimbabwe’s business community has increasingly relied on official economic statistics ranging from inflation and trade data to labour and production figures for investment decisions and market forecasting.
However, analysts say developing economies continue to face challenges around data quality, fragmentation and delayed reporting.
The new NSDS IV framework is expected to place greater emphasis on digital transformation, administrative data systems, interoperability between institutions and improved governance structures.
Mrs Bandama said authorities were also reviewing the Census and Statistics Act to strengthen the legal framework governing the production of official statistics.
“The review of the Act is therefore a strategic opportunity to strengthen the independence, coordination role and authority of the National Statistical Agency,” she said.
The reform agenda is also expected to improve coordination between ministries and agencies responsible for producing sector-specific data.
According to the UN, stronger statistical systems are essential in areas such as population dynamics, reproductive health, gender equality and youth development, where data gaps can directly affect policymaking and resource allocation.
“For the United Nations, data is the lifeline of our work,” Ms Tabifor said.
“In these sectors, a data gap is more than a statistic; it is an unmet need and a missed opportunity.”
Ms Tabifor also called for broader participation from the private sector, universities and civil society organisations, saying statistical development could not be left to government agencies alone.
“We view NSDS IV as the engine to modernise our data systems, specifically by improving disaggregation, enhancing system interoperability, and leveraging digital innovation,” she said.
“However, a strategy this ambitious cannot be built by statisticians alone; it requires a whole-of-society approach.”
The orientation workshop also introduced participants to tools for evaluating the previous NSDS III framework and assessing the performance of Zimbabwe’s broader statistical ecosystem ahead of the new five-year programme.
