By Peace Udugba
Mohammed Karim Abiodun says credible data, statistics and artificial intelligence are critical to effective planning and national development
A statistician and administrator at Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos, Mr. Mohammed Karim Abiodun, has called for stronger adoption of data-driven decision-making in governance and national development.
Abiodun made the call while delivering YABATECH’s first Exaugural Lecture, titled “Statistics Beyond Numbers: Linking Faith, Life and Problems in Nigeria.”
He said Nigeria’s ability to plan effectively, allocate resources and respond to emerging challenges depended largely on the availability, quality and proper utilisation of credible data.
Crossview of the Principal Officers of Yaba College of Technology, led by the rector’s representative, Dr. Engr Ismail Badmus (m) presenting the Award Plaque of Discharge and Acquitted to the 1st Exaugural Lecturer, Mr. Mohammed Karim at the lecture held at the Yusuf Grillo Auditorium.
The pioneer Exaugural Lecturer said statistics should no longer be viewed merely as a discipline concerned with figures, tables and mathematical calculations, but as a strategic tool for solving real-life problems and improving decision-making across different sectors of the economy.
He noted that the growing importance of artificial intelligence (AI), big data, machine learning and data science had made statistical knowledge increasingly critical to Nigeria’s future.
According to him, virtually every human and institutional activity generates data, stressing that the major challenge is to transform such data into reliable evidence for planning and policy formulation.
“Statistics is not merely a collection of techniques; it is a way of thinking that enables individuals and institutions to make better decisions through evidence.”
Abiodun urged policymakers to rely more on credible population and demographic data in areas such as revenue allocation, infrastructure development, election management, public policy and national security.
He also advocated greater application of statistical methods in election monitoring, identifying voting anomalies, understanding demographic risks and improving the deployment of public safety resources.
The lecturer said the era of relying predominantly on intuition and speculation in public administration should give way to evidence-based governance.
YABATECH Don Calls for Curriculum Review
The pioneer Exaugural Lecturer challenged Nigerian tertiary institutions to review their curricula to prepare students for the emerging data-driven economy.
He maintained that the statistician of the future must be able to calculate, communicate, code and collaborate, particularly as artificial intelligence and data science continue to transform the workplace.
Abiodun said YABATECH, as a technology-focused institution, had an important role to play in producing graduates capable of operating at the intersection of statistics, technology, artificial intelligence and national development.
He noted that statistical thinking was relevant not only to government and business but also to education, healthcare, agriculture, religion, family budgeting and everyday decision-making.
Using the COVID-19 pandemic as an example, he said the importance of reliable data had become particularly evident in tracking infections, deaths, vaccination and other indicators required for effective public-health decisions.
YABATECH Registrar Highlights Lecturer’s Career
Presenting the citation of the lecturer, the Registrar of YABATECH, Mrs. Henrietta Adebola Badejo, described Abiodun as a scholar whose career had combined industry, public service, teaching, research and administration.
She said Abiodun joined YABATECH as a part-time lecturer in 1999 and rose through the academic ranks to become a Chief Lecturer in 2019.
The Rector of YABATECH, Dr. Engr. Ibraheem Adedotun Abdul, commended Abiodun for his contributions to scholarship and institutional development.
Abdul said the Exaugural Lecture Series would henceforth form part of the College’s academic culture by providing a platform for distinguished scholars to document their intellectual contributions, mentor younger academics and advance conversations on issues relevant to national development.
He said the event marked not only the celebration of an individual scholar but also YABATECH’s renewed emphasis on evidence, innovation, technology and knowledge transfer as instruments for addressing Nigeria’s development challenges.
The Rector’s representative at the lecture, the Deputy Rector, Academics, Dr. Engr. Ismail Badmus, presented the Exaugural Lecture Award to Abiodun on behalf of the Rector, formally recognising him as the pioneer lecturer under the College’s new academic tradition.
