President Bola Tinubu has rejected a proposed N942 billion budget for Nigeria’s long-awaited national housing and population census, urging the National Population Commission (NPC) to find cost-cutting measures, including deploying National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members for the exercise.
According to sources present at the meeting held on February 24, 2025, at the State House, Tinubu emphasized the need for a more financially responsible approach.
A government official familiar with the discussions revealed, “The proposed amount is almost N1 trillion, which is too much. The President wants the census to happen, but at a much lower cost. That’s why he ordered a committee to review the expenses.”
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the development in a statement titled: ‘Nigeria Moves Closer to Fresh Census, President Tinubu to Set Up Committee’.
Tinubu was quoted as saying, “This stop-and-go activity on the census cannot work with me. We must have a definite path. I will set up a committee to critically examine the budget and determine what can be cut before we embark on the census.”
NYSC Members to Be Used for Census
In an effort to reduce personnel costs, Tinubu proposed the massive deployment of NYSC members to assist in data collection.
“He suggested that youth corps members be used to make the census cheaper,” another insider at the meeting revealed.
While the details of the new committee remain unclear, another source explained that key government agencies involved in identity management and statistics, such as the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), will play a major role in the review process.
Why the Census Matters
Tinubu stressed that accurate population data is critical for Nigeria’s development.
“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 security,” he said.
The President added that reliable population data would also help the government improve incentive programs, such as the distribution of fertilizers to farmers and other social interventions.
He further directed that biometric capturing, including facial and voice recognition, should be central to the census process to improve accuracy and prevent duplication.
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Challenges Facing the Census
Nigeria has not conducted a census since November 2006 due to funding shortages, insecurity, and logistical issues. The 2023 census, initially scheduled under former President Muhammadu Buhari, was postponed due to budget constraints and political transitions.
Although the NPC has invested in digital mapping and biometric technology to enhance accuracy, the government remains concerned about how best to capture data, especially in areas affected by displacement and migration.
Government Agencies to Align Data
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, emphasized that census data would be central to government planning and resource distribution.
“The NPC, NBS, NIMC, Ministry of Digital Economy, social register, voters’ register, and telecoms data are all being examined to determine how much reliable data is already available and how much more we need,” Bagudu stated.
Meanwhile, NPC Chairman Nasir Kwarra assured that the commission had already procured 760,000 tablets for the census, which are currently stored at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He added that the NPC would seek support from development partners once Tinubu officially announces the new census date.