Chinhoyi, (New Ziana) – The success of National Development Strategy (NDS2) in achieving macroeconomic stability, improving human capital, and driving industrialisation depends fundamentally on the quality, accessibility, and integrity of the statistics produced in the country, an official has said.
Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) Director General Tafadzwa Bandama said this at a two-day stakeholder consultation workshop held in Chinhoyi on Tuesday.
The engagement was held under the theme “Smart Statistics for Smart Policy-Advancing Data Driven Governance”.
The workshop, to craft the 2026-2030 strategic plan for the agency, brought together representatives from government ministries, development partners, academia, and the private sector to share insights on how to strengthen the country`s national statistical system.
“Data is no longer a by-product of governance; it is the bedrock of evidence upon which all smart policy must be built,” Bandama said.
“The success of NDS2 in achieving macroeconomic stability, improving human capital, and driving industrialisation depends fundamentally on the quality, accessibility, and integrity of the statistics we produce,” she said.
Bandama highlighted that in NDS2, the agency will build on the Integrated Results-Based Management (IRBM) framework to enhance accountability and ensure that every statistical activity contributes directly to measurable national outcomes.
“We gather today as the sun sets on our current strategic cycle, the 2021–2025 Strategic plan. The successes we registered in modernising data collection tools and improving the timeliness of national indicators stand as a testament to the dedication of ZIMSTAT staff and the collaboration of all stakeholders,” she said.
She said the new strategic plan would prioritise technological innovation, embracing Big Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Cloud Computing to ensure statistics are more accurate, timely, and granular, enabling real-time policy decisions.
“To produce smart statistics, we must embrace global excellence. Our operations must align with the United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics and benchmark against international best practices,” Bandama said.
She also stressed the importance of institutional integrity and professional independence, describing good governance as “the shield that guards the credibility of official statistics and maintains public trust.”
Bandama, however, said despite posting some success, financial sustainability remained a major challenge for the agency, adding that it still depended heavily on treasury allocations and diminishing donor support.
“We must identify alternative, sustainable financial mechanisms. I challenge all stakeholders from government, the private sector, and academia to think innovatively about resource mobilisation and cost-recovery models that will secure the agency`s fiscal autonomy,” she said.
Bandama pledged to prioritise staff welfare, continuous learning, and competitive remuneration in the forthcoming plan.
“A strong institution is built on the strength of its people. Investing in our staff is investing directly in the quality of our national statistics,” she said.
New Ziana
