Economic data in Africa has been under sharp focus for its inaccuracies. Without a statistical revolution, economists argue, Africa’s renaissance is being built on shaky ground. Business Beat had an exclusive interview with Canada-based Prof Morten Jerven, an economic historian whose development statistics have been widely published. He has worked in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Botswana. Excerpts:
How is economic data in the African nations you have worked inaccurate?