African statistical development: a review and the road ahead in the new millennium

Abstract

The Sixties started with a vision of a new Africa free of colonialism. The torch of freedom began in 1957 with Ghana followed by several others in the 1960s, including Nigeria the most populous African country. With independence the need was felt for better statistics which were - comprehensive, of high quality, timely.As nationalistic governments wanted information to enable them take policy decisions in areas they felt had been neglected by the colonial powers or areas they put greater emphasis on, such as education and industrialization. Newly independent countries felt that they needed to catch up with the developed world.