LAGOS — Nigerian businesses are currently “sitting on goldmines of data and walking away empty-handed,” according to Ganiyat Olajumoke Abe, a prominent Data Analyst and Business Intelligence professional. In a recent industry briefing on February 21, 2026, Abe warned that the country’s enthusiastic embrace of data collection has not yet translated into effective data utilization.
Abe, whose career spans the telecoms, consulting, and education sectors, argues that for many Nigerian firms, data has become an operational liability rather than a strategic asset.
From Spreadsheets to Strategy: The Productivity Gap
Abe highlighted a disconnect in Nigerian boardrooms where data is often “collected and archived” but rarely used to influence active decisions. She cited a common scenario where critical churn data (subscriber loss) is printed and stacked in folders for weeks while executives continue to make decisions based on intuition.
Key Misconceptions Identified:
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Collection ≠ Advantage: Simply owning large datasets does not provide a competitive edge.
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Storage Cost vs. Asset: Raw, unanalyzed data is a financial burden due to storage and maintenance costs.
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Reporting vs. Deciding: In most Nigerian firms, analytics is seen as a “reporting function” (summarizing the past) rather than a “decision-making tool” (shaping the future).
The Surgeon-to-Theatre Analogy
One of the most pressing challenges cited by Abe is the acute shortage of Business Intelligence (BI) translators—professionals who can bridge the gap between technical data and commercial language.
“A business intelligence tool without a skilled analyst is like a surgical theatre without a surgeon,” Abe remarked. “The equipment is impressive, but nothing useful happens.”
She noted that when Nigerian companies face budget cuts, data teams are often the first to be downsized, further widening the productivity gap between local firms and global competitors.
Recommendations for the 2026 Economy
To move beyond “intuition-based” leadership, Abe urges Nigerian organizations to adopt a three-pillar approach:
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Live Dashboards over Static Reports: Replace weekly PDFs with real-time data visualizations to allow for immediate corrective actions.
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Define the Question First: Instead of collecting all available data, businesses should start by identifying the specific commercial questions they need to answer.
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Invest in Human Capital: Focus on training analysts who understand the unique cultural and economic context of the Nigerian marketplace.
