President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring an accurate and reliable national population and housing census, emphasizing the necessity of biometric and digital integration for effective development planning and social security.
Speaking during a meeting with officials of the National Population Commission (NPC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday, Tinubu stressed that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) must be fully integrated into the census process.
“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,” the President said in a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.
Nigeria last conducted a national census in November 2006.
To ensure a sustainable approach, Tinubu announced plans to establish a committee to assess the census budget in line with the government’s financial realities before seeking additional support from development partners.
“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,” he stated.
The President also underscored the importance of biometric capturing in the census process, advocating for multiple identification features such as facial and voice recognition.
He noted that accurate demographic data would enhance government interventions, including the distribution of fertilizers and other incentives.
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