Nigeria has moved closer to carrying out a new national population and housing census incorporating biometric and digital features. The country’s last census was conducted in November 2006.
During a meeting at the State House on Monday, February 24, with officials from the National Population Commission, NPC, President Bola Tinubu announced plans to establish a committee that will adjust the census budget in line with the government’s current financial situation.
He also emphasized that the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, should be included in the review process.
“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,” President Tinubu said.
He reaffirmed his dedication to obtaining precise and dependable data from the national census to enhance development planning and improve the quality of life for Nigerians through a more effective social security system.
The Chairman of the NPC, Nasir Isa Kwarra, along with other members, provided the President with a briefing.
President Tinubu highlighted that government programs, such as the distribution and sale of fertilizers, could be more effectively managed with accurate demographic data.
He also stressed that biometric registration should be a key component of the process, incorporating multiple identification methods, including facial and voice recognition.
“We should work on our financial muscle well in place to lift our burden before we go and meet development partners for the census. We should work out the figures before discussing the role of development partners.
“This stop-and-go activity on the census cannot work with me. So we better have a definite path. I will set up a committee for you to look at the issues critically and do a source and application of resources. Where can we get help, and what can we lift before we embark on proclamation?”
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, stated that the census data would play a crucial role in guiding future planning and allocating resources efficiently.
“At a retreat for the ministers in 2023, Mr President, you reiterated your commitment to the census, so there is no doubt about your desire and commitment to have the census. In fact, at the last Federal Executive Council meeting, you asked me what the problem was, and I told you it was simply an issue of lack of ability to fund the census.
“Even today, before this meeting, I called the NPC Chairman and restated your commitment to the census. However, the commission and all of us in the team need to agree on the minimum amount we can source to support Mr President in making the final decision.
“The NPC indicated that 40 per cent of the funding for the 2006 census came from development partners,” Bagudu stated.
“Mr President, we have been having ecosystem meetings to link the identity agencies, even the geo-spatial chaired by the ministry, because of our mandate as the supervising ministry of the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS.
“So the NPC, NBS, NIMC, Ministry Of Digital Economy, passport, social register, voters register, and even telecoms data have been meeting with the National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA, to see how much is available to the government regarding data and how much optimisation can take place.”
In his presentation, NPC Chairman Nasir Isa Kwarra noted that the last census was conducted in 2006, and after 19 years, the data had become outdated for effective planning, especially in critical sectors affecting the population.
He revealed that 760,000 tablets had been procured and securely stored at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. He also assured that the commission would collaborate with development partners to seek support once President Tinubu officially announces the new census.
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