As the statistical landscape becomes more complex, national statistical offices (NSOs) are being challenged to deliver in more efficient and innovative ways. The accessibility and availability of big data bolsters new insights and possibilities for calculating price statistics. One of these developments is the ubiquity of scanner data, which contains detailed information on purchases and transactions, a revolutionary method for improving the accuracy of consumer price indices (CPIs) while reducing the costs of physical data collection. However, taking advantage of scanner data requires data processing and analysis upskilling in NSOs.

To help partner countries more effectively and efficiently monitor economic and business data for pandemic economic recovery, the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (the Global Partnership), Statistics Finland, Statistics Canada, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa implemented a training program in summer 2021.

The program supported NSOs to exploit scanner data as an alternative data source, and use it as an efficient complementary method for economic data capture. To do so, the Global Partnership and partners provided in-depth technical training sessions to twenty NSO staff, followed by support and mentorship in designing scanner data implementation plans. The program also facilitated peer exchange and learning opportunities between staff in participating countries: Kenya, Botswana, Ghana, Madagascar, and Mauritius.

In a post-training survey, 100% of respondents reported having increased knowledge and/or skills, and 85% of respondents rated the training modules they attended as very beneficial or absolutely essential.