Data quality for sustainable development in fragile states, statistical systems and governance constraints in Somalia

Reliable data are essential for monitoring sustainable development, allocating resources, and strengthening accountability, yet fragile states often lack the statistical systems needed to produce timely, complete, comparable, and trusted evidence. This study aims to examine how fragility affects statistical systems and data quality, analyse Somalia as an illustrative case. It adopts a narrative review approach, synthesising literature on official statistics, data governance, administrative data, humanitarian information systems, health information systems, and fragile-state governance. The review argues that data-quality problems in fragile states are not only technical weaknesses caused by limited skills, tools, or infrastructure, but also governance problems shaped by fragmented authority, donor-driven data production, insecurity, weak administrative reach, and limited trust in official institutions. Somalia demonstrates how these pressures interact under protracted conflict, contested federal governance, displacement, and uneven institutional recovery. The article identifies reform priorities for sustainable development monitoring, including stronger statistical coordination, administrative-data systems, quality assurance, predictable financing, and trust in national statistical authority.