President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has inaugurated a high-level committee on the forthcoming national population and housing census, directing the members to submit an initial report within three weeks.
The President, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the event held at the State House in Abuja, said the census is crucial for national development and accurate planning.
He noted that reliable population data is vital for effective decision-making across key sectors such as healthcare, education, security, and economic planning.
The President emphasized that the last census exercise was conducted in 2006, nearly two decades ago, and since then, Nigeria has undergone significant changes in population, settlements, and national priorities.
He stressed the importance of a technology-driven process to ensure credible and verifiable results, highlighting the need for collaboration among all relevant agencies. including the National Population Commission, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Budget and Planning.
Gbajabiamila acknowledged the financial implications of conducting a national census and tasked the committee with exploring both domestic and international funding sources to support the exercise.
He reaffirmed President Tinubu’s strong interest in delivering a credible, data-driven census that reflects the true demographics of the country.
The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Population and Housing Census and Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, assured that the committee will deliver its report within the three-week deadline set by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Bagudu noted that despite global economic challenges, Nigeria is making steady progress under President Tinubu’s leadership, citing improved foreign exchange stability and a positive growth trajectory.
He emphasized that the committee’s role is not just to highlight challenges but to recommend practical solutions, including strategies for mobilizing domestic and international resources to fund the census exercise.
The Minister of Information Muhammed Idris emphasized that accurate data is critical for planning across all sectors and that a credible census is the foundation for such data.
He explained that President Tinubu is committed to ensuring the census is properly planned before announcing a date or rolling out modalities.
Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Isa Kwarra, said the commission has already begun behind-the-scenes preparations ahead of the official conduct of the national population and housing census.
He noted that while the committee has now been formally inaugurated and given a three-week deadline to submit its report, preparatory work has been ongoing in collaboration with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and other relevant stakeholders.
Kwarra said that the National Population Commission remains committed to ensuring a credible, technology-driven enumeration process that will support effective national planning and development.
He also assured that the committee would diligently complete its assignment and submit its report within the stipulated three-week timeframe.
Bello Wakili
