The National Statistical Office (NSO) is conducting a Census of Economic Activities which will provide up to date information and comprehensive data on the activities and structure of the Malawian economy.
The exercise which commenced in November 2018 is expected to end in February 2019. It is being conducted for the first time in Malawi but after the current one, it will be conducted every five years.
According to a press statement issued by Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI), the census will measure the full value added (GDP) of the Malawian economy, provide data which will enable NSO compile a full set of national accounts and measure the true extent of investment in Malawi- both foreign and domestic.
It will also provide a basis for the production and rebasing of different kinds of economic statistics.
“The current set of economic indicators produced by the Economic Statistics Division of NSO do not fully reflect the current structure of the economy as there have not been any major baseline economic surveys or censuses conducted in recent years,” says the statement.
MCCI has since encouraged its member organizations to participate in the exercise as data obtained will give a clear picture of business performance and will therefore be used as one of the tools in lobbying and advocacy programmes.
