AfDB Launches Open Data Platforms for 20 African Countries

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The African Development Bank (AfDB) has launched an Open Data Platform for 20 African countries.  The Platform is a user-friendly tool for extracting data, for creating and sharing country specific customized reports. It also provides a medium for visualizing data across themes, sectors and countries in tables, charts and maps.  The Platform, a web portal is available at www.afdb.org/statistics.

African Development Bank

The first phase of the Platform is for the following African countries: Nigeria, Algeria, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, and Namibia.  The other countries covered in the Platform are Ghana, Rwanda, Republic of Congo, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Open Data Platform program is part of AfDB’s recently launched “Africa Information Highway” initiative aimed at significantly improving data management and dissemination in Africa. Work is on course to complete platforms for the rest of African countries by July 2013.

The Open Data Platform affords users the opportunity to access a wide range of development data on African countries from multiple international and national official sources.  It also facilitates the collection, analysis and sharing of data among countries and with international development partners.

The Platform offers a unique opportunity for various users, such as policymakers, analysts, researchers, business leaders and investors around the world, to gain access to reliable and timely data on Africa.

With it, users can visualize time series development indicators over a period of time, perform comprehensive analysis at country and regional levels, utilize presentation-ready graphics or create their own, blog, and share their views and work with others, thereby creating an informed community of users.

The Open Data Platform initiative is a response by the African Development Bank Group aimed at significantly increasing access to quality data necessary for managing and monitoring development results in African countries, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  It responds to a number of important global and regional initiatives to scale up the availability of quality data on Africa and so foster evidence-based decision-making, public accountability and good governance.

Once implemented, the Open Data Platform will be used by African countries for all data submission flows to the AfDB and possibly other international development partners, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), EU Commission, World Health Organization (WHO), UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), African Union Commission (AUC) and UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).  The initiative presents a unique opportunity for African countries to take the lead in implementation and promotion of international statistical standards across all countries in the region and in enhancing the quality of the data disseminated by African countries.

The initiative will also significantly revolutionize data management and dissemination in Africa, and reposition the continent for more effective participation in the global information economy.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) is a multilateral development finance institution established to contribute to the economic development and the social progress of African countries.  The African Development Bank Group comprises three entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF).  As the premier development finance institution on the continent, the AfDB’s mission is to help reduce poverty, and improve the living conditions of Africans. For more information, please visit: www.afdb.org.