Data Analytics and Accountability of Selected Government Agencies in Oyo State, Nigeria
Abstract
Accountability challenges persist among government agencies in Oyo State of Nigeria and erode public trust, yet the potential role of data analytics towards addressing these deficits remains an underexplored frontier. This study explores how data analytics-data generation, processing, analysis/interpretation, and preservation-influences accountability promotion in Oyo State government agencies. Guided by Agency Theory and Data Lifecycle Theory, a descriptive survey design was adopted, with 173 respondents from Finance, Education, and Health ministries, giving a response rate of 82.3%. Accountability was measured by answerability, transparency, and consequences/sanctions. Regression analysis revealed that data processing had the most significant influence (R² = 56.0%, p < 0.05), followed by data preservation (R² = 57.5%), data analysis/interpretation (R² = 47.8%), and data generation (R² = 33.9%). Generally, data analytics explained 31.7% of variance in accountability; hence, this affirms that the higher the data analytics capability, the better the level of accountability mechanisms. The study, therefore, recommends that Oyo State government agencies invest in holistic data analytics infrastructure and in capacity building programs, with a strong bias towards data processing and preservation systems, in order to enhance the accountability mechanisms and restore citizens' trust in government institutions.
Keywords
Accountabilitydata analyticsdata generationdata processinggovernment agencies.
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