Isa Kwarra, Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), announced that the commission is prepared to conduct the National Population and Housing Census, pending President Bola Tinubu’s approval for the official date.
This announcement was made during a media conference on World Population Day 2024, observed annually on July 11, with this year’s theme being “Embracing the Power of Inclusive Data Towards a Resilient and Equitable Future for All.”
Kwarra emphasized the NPC’s readiness, stating, “We are just waiting on the president to give us the date. The commission is prepared to conduct a robust census to provide inclusive and verifiable data acceptable to all.” He highlighted the United Nations’ recommendation for decennial censuses and noted the nearing end of the 2020 census round.
The NPC aims to complete the census by April 2025, though Kwarra expressed a preference for a November date, as previously planned. He underscored the importance of the census for gathering accurate data to predict demographic shifts and inform policy decisions.
“We need to hold a census that will deploy modern technology to generate timely, reliable, and acceptable data required for addressing the different needs of the various population groups,” he stated.
UNFPA country representative Dr. Gifty Addico, represented by Deputy Country Representative Koessan Kuawu, emphasized the critical role of timely censuses in tracking progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and formulating policies to meet Nigeria’s diverse population needs.
“In Nigeria, delays in generating timely, inclusive data have masked progress, leading to the use of obsolete data to assess our progress toward the SDGs. A timely census represents a critical opportunity,” Addico said, calling for prioritizing comprehensive population data systems, safe and inclusive data collection, and responsible technology use.
Dr. Ejike Orji, Chairman of the Association of the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP), warned that failing to conduct the census would result in significant losses for Nigeria, as over 70 percent of the required resources have already been committed.
Adeyemi Adeniran, the Statistician-General of the Federation, stressed the importance of inclusive data for informed decision-making and policy development, highlighting its necessity for harnessing Nigeria’s diverse and vibrant demographic potential.
