Administrative data is one of the key data sources and inputs of the System of National Accounts (SNA). The use of administrative data for the compilation of national accounts have several advantages, including: they are often cheaper than other sources; they provide complete, or almost complete coverage of the population to which the administrative process applies; they improve timeliness; and reduce the response burden on businesses; and they increase business register quality. Considering these benefits, ECA has initiated the preparation of the Guidebook on the Use of Administrative Data in National Accounts. The Guidebook is expected to be an effective reference material for strengthening the capacity of African countries in using already available administrative data to improve the quality and availability of national accounts.

 As part of the African Project on the implementation of the 2008 SNA, an Expert Group Meeting on the Use of Administrative Data in National Accounts will be organized by the African Centre for Statistics of ECA in collaboration with the Sub-Regional Office for Eastern Africa (SRO-EA), from 23 to 27 June 2014, in Kigali, Rwanda. The purpose of the meeting is to (i) share and discuss African countries’ experiences and best practices in using administrative data; and (ii) present and discuss the first draft of the Guidebook on the Use of Administrative Data in National Accounts. The meeting is expected to broaden delegates’ knowledge and help countries to widen the use of administrative data in the compilation of national accounts. Furthermore, the first draft of the Guidebook on the Use of Administrative Data in National Accounts will be reviewed and discussed with feedback on the follow-up revision and improvement.