President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially inaugurated a Presidential Committee on the National Population and Housing Census, tasking the group with delivering an interim report within a strict three-week deadline. The move signals renewed urgency in executing Nigeria’s long-overdue census, which was last conducted in 2006.
The inauguration ceremony took place on Wednesday at the State House in Abuja, where President Tinubu was represented by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. In a statement issued by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the President stressed the necessity of leveraging modern technology to ensure the accuracy and credibility of the upcoming enumeration exercise.
“We expect you will touch on the technology area because the census must be technology-driven. Things have changed since the last time that we conducted this exercise. The enumeration has to be technology-driven with biometrics and digitalization,” President Tinubu stated.
He further directed the committee to explore both domestic and international funding avenues, highlighting the importance of a robust financial strategy to underpin the national effort. Emphasis was placed on the role of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and other relevant agencies in taking full ownership of the process, framing the census as a technology-backed, cross-sectoral national priority.
The formation of this committee comes at a crucial time. Nigeria’s last population census was nearly two decades ago, recording 140.4 million people in 2006. With current estimates placing the population at approximately 220 million, there is growing pressure to produce accurate, up-to-date data to support fiscal planning, infrastructure development, and effective delivery of social services.
The eight-member committee is chaired by Senator Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning. Other members include the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); the Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC); the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; the Principal Secretary to the President; the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations; and the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Isa Kwarra, who will serve as Secretary.
In his address, Senator Bagudu reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to meeting the President’s timeline and outlined plans to devise a practical roadmap. This will include detailed resource mobilisation and proposals on how to integrate modern technology throughout the enumeration process. He referenced the President’s earlier call during the 2023 ministerial retreat for government officials to “think creatively” and manage resources efficiently despite economic constraints.
NPC Chairman Nasir Isa Kwarra shared that significant technical groundwork has already begun in collaboration with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and other stakeholders. This preparatory phase includes identifying resource shortfalls, building internal capacity, and reviewing frameworks essential for a credible census. Kwarra pledged that the Commission remains focused on delivering a transparent, inclusive, and technology-driven census with mechanisms for real-time data collection and verification.