Korede Abdullah 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in partnership with UNICEF, has begun preparatory work and field operations for the seventh round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS7), scheduled from December 2025 to March 2026.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, Statistician-General Prince Adeyemi Adeniran described MICS7 as “Nigeria’s most comprehensive source of data on the well-being of children, women and vulnerable populations.” He said the forthcoming survey will support major development agendas, including the Renewed Hope Agenda, Agenda 2063, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Adeniran noted that the 2025/2026 edition will deliver national and state-level indicators across all 36 states and the FCT. “Conducted every five years, this edition will fill critical data gaps and strengthen evidence-based planning and decision-making,” he said.
He added that NBS-trained interviewers would visit sampled households using digital data-collection devices to ensure timely and accurate results. Appealing for public cooperation, he said MICS has remained Nigeria’s trusted platform for understanding the realities of women and children since 1995.
UNICEF Deputy Representative Rownak Khan emphasised the survey’s importance. “Since 1995, MICS has been Nigeria’s leading source of information that highlights the realities of women and children,” she said.
Findings from previous rounds — including the 2021/2022 edition — highlighted improvements such as exclusive breastfeeding rising to 34%, birth registration reaching 60%, yet persistent gaps remain: only 36% of children aged 12–23 months were fully vaccinated, with stark regional inequalities.
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Mirian Gom 
Otamere Gladness 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Oluwatobi Adu