President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has inaugurated a high-level presidential committee to oversee preparations for Nigeria’s forthcoming National Population and Housing Census.
The initiative marks a critical step toward modernising national data collection, almost two decades after the country’s last census in 2006.
The inauguration was announced via a statement by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the State House in Abuja, President Tinubu emphasised the importance of a credible and technology-driven enumeration process for effective national planning across key sectors such as healthcare, education, security, and the economy.
“This census must be technology-driven, incorporating biometrics and full digitalisation,” Gbajabiamila stated.
“It is essential for planning and development. We cannot budget effectively if we do not know how many people we are planning for.”
The President urged the newly inaugurated committee to explore both domestic and international funding sources and to collaborate with relevant government agencies, especially the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
Senator Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, chairs the eight-member committee and pledged to submit an interim report within three weeks.
He assured the President that the committee would deliver practical solutions, including innovative strategies for financing the census despite economic constraints.
“The President has urged us to think creatively and make use of available resources,” Bagudu said.
He cited Nigeria’s economic strides under Tinubu’s administration, including exchange rate stabilisation and improving growth trends, as evidence of resilience amid global challenges.
Minister of Information, Muhammed Idris, also a committee member, highlighted that accurate data is foundational for sector-wide development and policy-making.
“A credible census is essential to informed governance,” he noted.
Nasir Kwarra, Chairman of the National Population Commission and Secretary of the committee, confirmed that preparations are already underway.
The Commission is working closely with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to identify key requirements and infrastructure needed to execute a successful census.
He reassured Nigerians of the Commission’s commitment to delivering a transparent and technology-enabled census.
“We are laying the groundwork for the President to make an informed decision on the timeline for the census,” he said.
The last national census, conducted in 2006, recorded a population of over 140 million. With Nigeria’s population projected to have grown significantly since then, the upcoming census is expected to provide essential insights for national development strategies.
The eight-member committee comprises:
- Minister of Budget and Economic Planning (Chair)
- Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy
- Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service
- Director-General, National Identity Management Commission
- Principal Secretary to the President
- Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations (Office of the Chief of Staff)
- Minister of Information
- Chairman, National Population Commission (Secretary)
