Statistician-General of Nigeria dies eight months after appointment

The Statistician-General of the Federation, Simon Harry, is dead. 

His death was confirmed to our correspondent by the Director, Communication and Public Relations Department, Ichedi Joel, on Wednesday, in Abuja. 

Joel said, “It is not a rumor anymore, the SG is dead, he died from an illness.”

Harry’s death is coming barely 48 hours after the agency debunked rumors of his demise.

He was said to have been indisposed on Saturday and was immediately given medical attention.

Harry was appointed by President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) as the Statistician-General of the Federation in August last year.

He joined the Federal Office of Statistics as Statistician 11 in 1992 and rose to the position of a substantive Director of Statistics in 2019.

In the course of his civil service career, he has contributed to several reform initiatives including the reform of the then Federal Office of Statistics which was transformed into the current National Bureau of Statistics.

Harry’s other achievements include contributions to reforming Nigeria’s Statistical System which resulted in the creation and establishment of the state bureau of statistics at the sub-national level