The Federal Government has reiterated that conducting a national population and housing census is non-negotiable, stressing that accurate data is fundamental to effective planning and sustainable development in Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Aminu Yusuf, during a courtesy visit.
Idris emphasised that no meaningful national development can occur without reliable data, describing the census as a critical national responsibility.
“Data is key to whatever planning you intend to do; if you can’t measure, you can’t plan and if you can’t plan, the results are predictable, therefore, census is not optional for us,” he said.
He commended the NPC for its preparedness and commitment to transparency, assuring that President Bola Tinubu would formally proclaim a new census date at the appropriate time.
“We are waiting for the president’s proclamation, which is the basis for the legal and financial framework of the exercise,” Idris said.
“The ministry and its agencies stand ready to provide full media and communication support once that announcement is made.”
Earlier, Yusuf said the visit was aimed at strengthening institutional collaboration and enhancing media partnerships ahead of the forthcoming census and other activities of the commission.
He thanked the minister for granting audience to the NPC delegation despite his tight schedule, describing the gesture as “a demonstration of his enduring commitment to national development, responsive governance, and public service.”
The NPC chairman also praised the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) for their public enlightenment and mobilisation efforts during preparations for the previously scheduled census, as well as government-owned media organisations for amplifying census messages nationwide.
“This collective effort clearly demonstrated how coordinated government communication can build trust, stimulate participation, and promote national ownership of vital public programmes,” Yusuf said.
He assured that despite the postponement of the census, the commission remains operationally focused and technically prepared, with ongoing refinements aimed at ensuring a transparent, efficient, and credible exercise once a new date is announced.
Yusuf added that the NPC is strengthening the civil registration and vital statistics system to enable real-time registration of births and deaths across the country, while calling for sustained media support to deepen public awareness of the commission’s programmes.
Responding, Idris reaffirmed the ministry’s readiness to support the NPC’s advocacy efforts.
“Our partnership with the National Population Commission is key; we are only performing our duty, we do not even have an option,” he said.
“This is the mandate that we have as ministry of information and national orientation, to be in the forefront of advocacy of government policies and programmes.
“The ministry of information and national orientation is ever ready to partner with you to ensure a very credible national census.”
Nigeria last conducted a national population census in 2006 during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In July 2023, the NPC chairman disclosed after meeting with President Tinubu that new census dates would be announced, while in April 2025, the president inaugurated a high-level committee to oversee preparations for the exercise.
