President Bola Tinubu has announced plans to establish a committee that will reassess the budget for the forthcoming national census.
This decision followed a meeting at the State House in Abuja, where the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Kwarra, and other officials briefed the President on the census plans.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, shared details of the meeting in a statement on Monday.
Nigeria has not conducted a population and housing census since November 2006, with repeated postponements due to logistical challenges, funding shortages, and security concerns.
The previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had invested in new technology, including digital mapping and biometric tools, to enhance accuracy. However, the COVID-19 pandemic, political transitions, and budgetary constraints further delayed the process, particularly in 2023.
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Under Tinubu’s leadership, rescheduling the census has remained challenging. The government is still working out the best approach to capture data effectively, especially for mobile populations such as internally displaced persons.
Expressing his concerns over the continuous delays, Tinubu remarked, “This stop-and-go activity on the census cannot work with me. So we better have a definite path.” He further stated, “I will set up a committee to critically examine the issues and identify potential funding sources before making a proclamation.”
The President emphasized the necessity of involving the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in the process, stressing the importance of accurate population data for national planning.
“Without an accurate census, we can’t successfully plan for employment, agriculture, and food security. So many problems arise without reliable data,” he noted.
Highlighting the role of biometrics in ensuring credible results, Tinubu insisted that multiple identification features, such as facial and voice recognition, should be incorporated.
He also underscored the need for a strong financial plan before seeking assistance from development partners.
Meanwhile, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, reiterated the importance of census data in resource allocation and governance.
He recalled that during a ministerial retreat in 2023, Tinubu had reaffirmed his commitment to conducting the census. However, funding has remained a major obstacle.
“The NPC has indicated that about 40 percent of the funding for the 2006 census came from development partners,” Bagudu said, adding that discussions were ongoing to determine the minimum financial requirement for the exercise.
He also noted that various government agencies, including the NPC, NBS, NIMC, and the Ministry of Digital Economy, have been collaborating to integrate existing data sources for greater efficiency.
Speaking at the meeting, NPC Chairman Nasir Kwarra stressed that after 19 years, the population figures from the last census were no longer reliable for planning.
He disclosed that the commission had already procured 760,000 tablets, currently stored at the Central Bank of Nigeria, and was prepared to engage development partners once Tinubu formally announces the new census date.
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