About Us

The National Treasury Secure Data Facility (NT-SDF) provides secure access to de-identified administrative data for research and policy analysis to improve evidence-based policymaking.

Established more than a decade ago, the NT-SDF is an in-person facility that enables policymakers and researchers to work with detailed microdata derived from government administrative systems within a secure and controlled environment. Administrative data complements traditional surveys by covering large populations and enabling datasets to be linked over time, allowing the construction of longitudinal datasets that support analysis of policy outcomes.

The NT-SDF was established through collaboration between the National Treasury of South Africa, the South African Revenue Service, and the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) and forms an integral part of the Southern African – Towards Inclusive Economic Development (SA-TIED) programme. It has since become an important part of South Africa’s data and research infrastructure, supporting rigorous research while maintaining strict confidentiality protections.