President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to delivering an accurate and technology-driven national population and housing census, emphasizing the need for reliable data to drive effective development planning and enhance social security.
Speaking during a meeting with officials of the National Population Commission (NPC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday, Tinubu highlighted the importance of incorporating biometric and digital tools into the upcoming census to accurately determine Nigeria’s population.
“We must ascertain who we are, how many we are, and how to manage our data. Without an accurate census, we cannot successfully plan for employment, agriculture, and food sovereignty. Many problems arise without accurate data,” Tinubu stated through his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.
The last national census was conducted in November 2006.
To ensure a seamless process, Tinubu called for the integration of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) into the census and announced plans to establish a committee to align the census budget with the nation’s current financial realities. This committee will assess available resources before seeking external funding.
“This stop-and-go activity on the census cannot work with me. We need a definite path. I will set up a committee to critically examine the issues, assess our resources, and determine what we can fund before seeking external support,” the President said.
Tinubu stressed that biometric capturing, including facial and voice recognition, should be at the core of the census process. He added that accurate demographic data would improve the distribution of government incentives, such as fertilizers for farmers.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, reaffirmed the administration’s dedication to the census, citing its importance for future planning and equitable resource distribution. Bagudu revealed that funding delays had stalled the exercise but assured that efforts were underway to secure the necessary resources.
“In the 2006 census, 40% of the funding came from development partners. Now, stakeholders must determine the minimum amount required to support the President in making a final decision,” Bagudu said.
He also highlighted ongoing efforts to integrate various identity management agencies, including the NPC, NIMC, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Ministry of Digital Economy, passport registry, social register, voter register, telecoms data, and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).
NPC Chairman Nasir Isa Kwarra stressed the urgency of the census, noting that 19 years had passed since the last enumeration, rendering previous data unreliable for planning. He disclosed that 760,000 tablets had been procured and secured at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in preparation for the exercise.
Kwarra assured that once the President officially proclaims the new census, the commission will actively engage development partners for additional support.
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