UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS STATISTICS DIVISION (UNSD). PRESENTATION ON THE STATE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF INDUSTRY AND PRODUCT CLASSIFICATIONS IN NATIONAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS (NBS),NIGERIA. PRESENTED BY THOMAS, E. G. DURING THE UN. WORKSHOP ON INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CLASSIFICATIONS, HELD AT ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, ON THE 3 – 6 NOVEMBER, 2008.

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION.  INTRODUCTION.  USES OF ISIC AND CPC CODES.  SCOPE.  ISSUES AND CHALLENGES IN THE APPLICATION OF ISIC AND CPC IN NBS,NIGERIA.  CONCLUSION.  END OF PRESENTATION.

INTRODUCTION. The International standard of Industrial Classification (ISIC) and Central Products Classification (CPC) was adopted internationally with Country National Statistical Offices including Nigeria. The classification was approved in 1948 and is based on four – digit levels. ISIC and CPC as defined by United Nations Statistics Division, is a standard classification of economic and social activities which was adopted by NBS, Nigeria and used in economic surveys. NBS. had been implementing ISIC_Rev.3.1 and CPC 1.1 on Economic data collection and analysis.

USES OF ISIC AND CPC. ISIC and CPC had been used for coding of Economic sectors, Activities and Products in economic Surveys of NBS. Areas of coding with ISIC and CPC includes:- On the establishment frame.  On the desk editing.  In the computer data editing and analysis.

USES OF ISIC AND CPC CONTD. National Account Division also use ISIC codes based on economic sectors in the computation of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Value Added. Used in the system of national accounting. Prices Division make use of ISIC on the calculation of Producer Price Index (PPI) Used for coding of products for the computation of PPI. To meet the needs for data classified according to internally comparable categories of kind of economic activity. Providing guidelines for the development of national classification. For promoting sound national statistical system.

SCOPE. The scope includes the following Economic Sectors such as, Manufacturing, Construction, Wholesales and Retail, Mining and Quarrying, Agriculture, Hunting and Forestry, Fishing, Transport, Storage and Communications, Hotel and Restaurants, Education, Health and Social Work, Electricity, Gas and Water, Financial Intermediation, Real Estate, Renting and Business Activities, Public Administration and Defence, Education, Other Community and Personal Service Activities.

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES IN THE APPLICATIONS OF ISIC AND CPC IN NBS, NIGERIA.  In the application of the ISIC _Rev. 3.1 and CPC 1.1 to our questionnaires retrieved, we find it difficult at times to domesticate some of the products in line with the activity codes.  In manufacturing sector, most products produced could not be coded to correspond with their activities in the areas of not elsewhere classified (n.e.c).  National Account Division also use ISIC codes based on economic sectors in the computation of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Value Added. Prices Division make use of ISIC on the calculation of Producer Price Index (PPI) Product codes could not match with the economic activities on PPI calculation.  In manufacturing sector, most products produced could not be coded to correspond with their activities in the areas of not elsewhere classified (n.e.c).

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES IN THE APPLICATIONS OF ISIC AND CPC IN NIGERIA.CONTD.  Other manufacturing n.e.c.could not match with those listed in ISIC, e.g. pens and pencils, typewriter, ribbon and linked pads, umbrellas, walking sticks, brooms and brushes.  Other important products produced in Nigeria could not be classified and coded as some are not included in CPC 1.1  In the Construction sector, there is no clear distinction between Building dwellings/offices and Civil engineering.  CPC 1.1 document is not arranged on sector basis as in the case of ISIC_Rev.3.1 with specific product names.  Generally, the problems of n.e.c. cut across other economic sectors.

CONCLUSION. All Economic Sectors on their activities and product classifications have problems that need to be addressed before the next edition of ISIC_Rev.3.1 and CPC 1.1 Adequate measures should be taken to adopt the suggestions on both ISIC_Rev.3.1 and CPC 1.1 by other National Statistical Offices so that data generated by them could be use for International comparison.

END OF PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND GOD BLESS. AMEN.