President Bola Tinubu has rejected the National Population Commission’s (NPC) proposed N942 billion budget for Nigeria’s upcoming housing and population census, urging a more cost-effective approach, including the use of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members as census workers.
During a meeting with NPC officials led by Chairman Nasir Kwarra on February 24, 2025, Tinubu expressed concerns over the high budget and insisted on a thorough review to align spending with the government’s financial capacity. He announced plans to establish a committee to reassess the census budget and explore alternative funding sources.
“This stop-and-go activity on the census cannot work with me. We better have a definite path,” Tinubu stated, emphasizing the importance of accurate demographic data for national planning. He also highlighted the need for biometric technology, including facial and voice recognition, to improve the credibility of the exercise.
Although the timeline for the census remains uncertain, stakeholders, including the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, stressed the importance of census data for resource distribution and policy planning. Meanwhile, the NPC confirmed that 760,000 digital tablets had already been secured for the exercise.
The last national census was conducted in 2006, with subsequent attempts delayed due to funding challenges, insecurity, and political transitions. Tinubu’s decision marks another shift in Nigeria’s efforts to conduct a long-overdue population count while ensuring fiscal responsibility.