Strategy and road map to assist countries in modernizing their administrative data systems for statistical purposes

Abstract

Administrative data sources have the potential to provide a broad range of benefits for statistical purposes. In addition to supporting the formulation of sector-specific policies and programs and the compilation of national accounts, administrative data from service delivery records and registers can have other uses. They can replace surveys, in whole or in part, provide an alternative source for statistics, sampling bases and bases for extrapolating survey results, and can be a source of stratification variables and auxiliary variables. Furthermore, they can be used to improve coverage and timeliness, validate surveys and link domains. The use of administrative data for official statistics in Africa remains very limited, however, and census and survey sources continue to play a central role in statistical systems and the production of statistics. There is a growing need to leverage, transform and modernize administrative data and sources across national statistical systems to meet the current and emerging data requirements to measure, monitor and report progress made in achieving development objectives. The present report includes a review of the main obstacles to the use of administrative data sources and statistics, along with a strategy for the modernization of administrative data systems, including a road map for improving the use of administrative data in statistical processes.