President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday inaugurated a high-powered Presidential Committee on the National Population and Housing Census, charging its members to deliver an interim report within three weeks and to prioritise the use of technology for credible and verifiable data.
The inauguration ceremony at the State House in Abuja highlights the administration’s renewed dedication to conducting Nigeria’s first national census since 2006. That last census recorded a population of 140,431,790—comprising 71,345,488 males and 69,086,302 females.
Speaking through his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, President Bola Tinubu described the upcoming census as a critical foundation for national development. He emphasized its role in enabling data-driven decision-making across sectors such as healthcare, education, security, and economic planning.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President stressed the need for a technology-driven process, incorporating biometrics and digital tools to ensure precision and transparency.
“Collaborate with all relevant agencies, especially the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning,” Tinubu instructed. “You can’t plan or allocate resources effectively without knowing the size of the population. This ministry must take the lead.”
He emphasized that modern technologies must shape the enumeration process, citing changes since the last census and the need for innovation.
The President tasked the newly formed committee—chaired by Budget and Economic Planning Minister Senator Atiku Bagudu—with designing a comprehensive roadmap for the census, including sourcing both domestic and international funding.
Bagudu assured the President that the committee would deliver results within three weeks, echoing the administration’s values of efficiency and innovation even amid economic challenges. He also pointed to improving macroeconomic indicators, like a more stable exchange rate, as evidence of Nigeria’s resilience under Tinubu’s leadership.
Information Minister Mohammed Idris, also a committee member, highlighted the critical role of accurate population data in effective governance and planning.
Nasir Isa Kwarra, Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC) and committee secretary, confirmed that preparations are already underway. The NPC is working closely with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and other stakeholders to identify essential operational needs.
Kwarra reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to a transparent, inclusive, and tech-driven census process—one that will serve as a cornerstone for sustainable national development.
The eight-member committee also 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 President’s Principal Secretary, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations (Office of the Chief of Staff).
