This is the first statistics scheme to be funded by the bank’s innovative Program for Results instrument, which links disbursements to results achieved. According to the World Bank, such as approach builds up capacity and strengthens institutions within client countries to ensure results are tangible and sustainable.

“As Africa’s newest lower-middle income country, Kenya needs to generate the high-quality economic statistics required to inform and attract investments and help grow the economy”, said Johan A Mistiaen, senior economist and the team leader of Kenya Statistics Program for Results.

“Moreover, current estimates of poverty and inequality are based on data that are a decade old. This operation will support a programme of economic and household surveys (including the ongoing 2015/16 Kenya Integrated Household Budget Survey) to update these statistics and henceforth produce these data on a regular basis.”

Diarietou Gaye, country director for Kenya, said the east African country had made significant progress on open data, but more needed to be done to ensure information was regularly updated.

“High-quality data are critical to measure progress in growing the economy, reducing poverty and fostering shared prosperity,” she said.

“When statistics are up-to-date and regularly released publically, the data will inform decision making in the public and private sector alike.”