Public statistics, administrative registers, and databases from tax, social, and land services constitute a crucial intangible asset for economic action. When consistent, up-to-date, and interoperable, this information allows states to anticipate needs, guide spending, and reduce the margin of error in public decision-making. In several African countries, recent censuses and the progressive digitization of civil registration have already improved demographic knowledge and facilitated the targeting of certain social policies.

Data quality directly influences macroeconomic credibility. Sound national accounts, comprehensive fiscal statistics, and reliable sectoral indicators reduce uncertainty for investors and financial partners. Conversely, incomplete or contradictory data series can fuel caution and increase the cost of financing. The significant statistical revisions observed in recent years demonstrate that the issue is not only technical but also institutional, as they reveal entire segments of the economy that have long been underestimated, particularly in the informal sector and digital services.

The economic exploitation of public data remains limited by persistent obstacles. Public administrations often operate in silos, with unconnected information systems and unclear sharing rules. This fragmentation reduces the added value of the collected information and prevents its cross-cutting use. In some cases, the same data is produced repeatedly at high cost, without methodological harmonization, which weakens its analytical scope.

Beyond planning, data also serves as a governance tool. Public access to budgetary, land-related, and statistical information strengthens accountability and reduces information asymmetries between the state, citizens, and economic actors. Countries that invest in robust and open statistical systems generally observe improved policy effectiveness and better resource allocation. Public data then ceases to be a mere administrative product and becomes a structuring factor for development and economic confidence.