Census: Tinubu prepares for counting, forms committee
L-R: Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Isa Kwarra, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Admin & Operations (OCOS), Oyinade Nathan-Marsh, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Population and Housing Census and Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, Director General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Abisoye Odusote and Raymond Omachi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance at the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on Population and Housing Census on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at State House, Abuja
* As Nigeria gears up for Census, Tinubu forms committee members.
President Bola Tinubu inaugurated a high-level committee on Wednesday, April 16, to oversee Nigeria’s national population and housing census, the first since 2006, setting a three-week deadline for an interim report.
Represented by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila at the State House, Abuja, Tinubu emphasised the urgency of accurate data for planning.
“We must ascertain who we are, how many we are, and how to manage our data. Without an accurate census, we can’t successfully plan for employment, agriculture, and food sovereignty. So many problems come up without accurate data,” he said, as quoted by Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu stressed a technology-driven approach, stating, “The census must be technology-driven with biometrics and digitalisation.”
He urged collaboration with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to secure funding, noting, “You cannot budget if you do not know how many we are.” The eight-member committee, chaired by Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Bagudu, includes the Ministers of Finance and Information, the Federal Inland Revenue Service Chairman, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Director General, and others, with National Population Commission (NPC) Chairman Nasir Kwarra as secretary.
Bagudu promised the report within three weeks, citing Tinubu’s call for creative resource use amid economic progress, including improved forex stability. Minister of Information Muhammed Idris underscored data’s role, saying, “Accurate data is critical for planning across all sectors and a credible census is the foundation for such data.”
Kwarra confirmed ongoing preparations, emphasising transparency and technology. “Accurate census data is essential for informed decision-making and effective policy planning,” he said, adding that data gaps hinder health services and social progress.
“This is not just a health issue—it is a matter of social and economic justice,” he noted, calling for collective effort.
The 2006 census recorded 140,431,790 people. This census aims to address nearly two decades of demographic uncertainty for better governance and resource allocation.
