In today’s data-driven world, data management has become a crucial aspect of every organization. The ability to collect, store, process, and analyze data has become an essential factor in decision-making, performance evaluation, and social development.

Kaduna State has taken various measures to improve its data management practices, and the Data Lab Project has played a crucial role in strengthening human capital in data science and data-driven decision-making. In the last 4 years, the Kaduna State Government, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Natview Foundation for Technology Innovation have worked together on the Data Lab Project to support the state in achieving the Data Revolution Plan. The primary goal of the plan is to strengthen human capital in data science and data-driven decision-making.

However, with the Data Lab Project currently in its final year of implementation, it is crucial to establish a sustainable data management community of practice in Kaduna State. To this end, the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics and the Natview Foundation for Technology Innovation are working to introduce the Data Management Community of Practice – a group of people who share a common interest and engage in regular communication and collaboration to enhance their knowledge, skills, and expertise. It would consist of data management professionals, data analysts, IT specialists, and other individuals who have a passion for data management.

The CoP would serve as a platform for sharing ideas, best practices, and techniques that will improve data management practices in Kaduna State. The CoP will operate to support the state in improving data quality while adhering to the state’s data governance and data ethics protocols. The community is also designed to operate under mentors and instructors from within and outside the KDBS/NFTI team and Kaduna tech community to provide support in engaging and positioning young people for careers in data management and data management-related fields.

The data management community of practice is important for several reasons. Some of these reasons include:

  • Knowledge sharing: The CoP will provide a platform for members to share their knowledge, experiences, and best practices related to data management. This allows members to learn from each other and improve their own practices.
  • Collaboration: The CoP will facilitate collaboration among members, which can lead to the development of new data management tools and techniques. Collaboration also helps members avoid duplicating efforts and work more efficiently.
  • Professional development: The CoP will provide opportunities for members to learn new skills and to develop their professional networks. This can help members advance their careers and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in data management.
  • Quality improvement: The CoP will help improve the quality of data management practices across agencies in Kaduna State. By sharing best practices and collaborating on new tools and techniques, members can help establish standards and guidelines that promote better data management.

In conclusion, the Data Management Community of Practice is an excellent initiative to support ground truthing and crowdsourcing efforts in Kaduna State. As an organization that always works towards project sustainability, we believe that the CoP will go a long way to improving data management practices in the state, which will have a positive impact on decision-making, performance evaluation, and social development.

Consequently, we are delighted to inform the world about the first meet-up of the Data Management Community of Practise, which is billed to take place on Saturday, April 15th, 2023. The focus of the event will be on two critical topics related to data management: data governance and basic to intermediate Excel. The event will also include a mentorship mapping session where attendees can learn from experienced professionals and receive guidance on career development. This exclusive event presents an excellent opportunity for members to gain knowledge, network, and collaborate with other professionals in the field of data management.

Do you have what it takes to be a part of this exclusive community? Send an email to skills@click-onkaduna.ng telling us why you should be accepted into the data management community of practice.