On Wednesday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inaugurated a high-level Presidential Committee on the National Population and Housing Census, directing its members to submit an interim report within three weeks and to prioritise the use of technology to ensure credible and verifiable data.
The inauguration, held at the State House in Abuja, underscores the administration’s renewed commitment to conducting Nigeria’s first national census in nearly two decades.
Nigeria’s last census was held in 2006, nearly two decades ago, recording a population of 140,431,790, with 71,345,488 males and 69,086,302 females.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, President Tinubu described the census as a cornerstone for national development, stressing its importance in evidence-based policy making across sectors such as healthcare, education, security, and economic planning.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President told the team that the exercise must be technology-driven and supported by biometric systems and digital tools to ensure accuracy and accountability.
“Work with all relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning. This ministry has to take charge of this because you cannot budget if you do not know how many we are.
“We expect you will touch on the technology area because the census must be technology-driven. Things have changed since the last time that we conducted this exercise. The enumeration has to be technology-driven with biometrics and digitalisation,” he said.
He directed the committee to work closely with relevant agencies, particularly the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, which he said must “take charge” of the exercise given its critical role in resource allocation.
Chaired by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, the committee has been tasked with developing a roadmap for the execution of the national census, including exploring domestic and international financing options to support the large-scale undertaking.
Bagudu assured the President that the committee would meet the three-week deadline, reiterating the administration’s ethos of creativity and efficiency even in the face of economic headwinds.
He cited improved macroeconomic indicators, such as foreign exchange stability, as signs of Nigeria’s resilience under President Tinubu’s leadership.
Minister of Information Mohammed Idris, who is also a member of the committee, emphasised that reliable data from a credible census is essential for effective governance and national planning.
Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Isa Kwarra—who also serves as Secretary of the committee—revealed that preparatory work for the census is already underway.
He said the NPC is working in collaboration with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and other stakeholders to identify key operational needs.
Kwara reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to a transparent, inclusive, and technology-driven enumeration process that will lay the foundation for transformative development planning.
The eight-member committee includes the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the Principal Secretary to the President, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations (Office of the Chief of Staff).
