About the National Statistics Bureau
The existence of a Statistics Office dates back to the early seventies when a small statistics unit operated within the Ministry of Economic Planning. Prior to independence it was called the Economic and Statistics Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister.
Over the years, it has been subject to a number of changes in terms of name, location and parent ministry. Over the 25 year period (1980 – 2005), it changed parent ministry 5 times until it finally became a semi-autonomous organisation in February 2005.
In 1980 it was known as the “Statistics Division” in the Department of Finance under the President’s Office and was headed by a Chief Statistician.
In January 1986, it was transferred from the Ministry of Finance to the President’s Office and in the President’s Private Office to be more precise.
In August 1986, with the reorganisation of the President’s Office, the Statistics Division was renamed the Information Systems Division (ISD) which was made up of 2 Sections, each headed by a Director.
The Statistics and Database Administration Section (SDAS) and
Systems Development Section (SDS)
In January 1989, the ISD was renamed Management and Information Systems Division (MISD) and had as parent ministry, the Ministry of Administration and Manpower. The SDAS of the MISD was headed by a Director General.
On 1st April 1998, the MISD moved to the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications (MITC) until December 2003.
In January 2004 the MISD moved to the Ministry of Economic Planning until early 2005.
On 12th February 2005 the National Statistics Bureau was created as a semi-autonomous organisation headed by a Chief Executive Officer.
In July 2010, the legal framework of the Bureau was recast and modernized and the National Statistics Bureau Act, 2005, was repealed to be replaced by the National Bureau of Statistics Act, 2010. The institution is now the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and is headed by a Chief Executive Officer. The new law makes provision for the appointment of a Deputy Chief Executive Officer which did not exist under the previous Act.
Over the years, it has been subject to a number of changes in terms of name, location and parent ministry. Over the 25 year period (1980 – 2005), it changed parent ministry 5 times until it finally became a semi-autonomous organisation in February 2005.
In 1980 it was known as the “Statistics Division” in the Department of Finance under the President’s Office and was headed by a Chief Statistician.
In January 1986, it was transferred from the Ministry of Finance to the President’s Office and in the President’s Private Office to be more precise.
In August 1986, with the reorganisation of the President’s Office, the Statistics Division was renamed the Information Systems Division (ISD) which was made up of 2 Sections, each headed by a Director.
The Statistics and Database Administration Section (SDAS) and
Systems Development Section (SDS)
In January 1989, the ISD was renamed Management and Information Systems Division (MISD) and had as parent ministry, the Ministry of Administration and Manpower. The SDAS of the MISD was headed by a Director General.
On 1st April 1998, the MISD moved to the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications (MITC) until December 2003.
In January 2004 the MISD moved to the Ministry of Economic Planning until early 2005.
On 12th February 2005 the National Statistics Bureau was created as a semi-autonomous organisation headed by a Chief Executive Officer.
In July 2010, the legal framework of the Bureau was recast and modernized and the National Statistics Bureau Act, 2005, was repealed to be replaced by the National Bureau of Statistics Act, 2010. The institution is now the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and is headed by a Chief Executive Officer. The new law makes provision for the appointment of a Deputy Chief Executive Officer which did not exist under the previous Act.
