SENATE COMMITTEE URGES URGENT ACTION ON NIGERIA'S LONG OVERDUE CENSUS

In a critical oversight visit today, the Senate Committee on National Population and Identity, led by Chairman Sen. Abdul Ningi, convened at the National Population Commission’s (NPC) Headquarters in Abuja. The Committee's mission was to evaluate the NPC's budget performance for 2023 and 2024 and to address the pressing issue of Nigeria’s long-overdue census.

Receiving the committee were NPC Chairman Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra and a team of Federal Commissioners, Director-General and directors.

During the visit, Sen. Ningi emphasized the urgency of conducting a national Population and Housing Census, highlighting that Nigeria has gone 18 years without one, leading to significant data gaps that hinder effective policy implementation.

“It is an embarrassment that we don’t know our actual population,” Sen. Ningi declared. He pointed out that some materials procured for the upcoming Population and Housing Census are deteriorating due to the indefinite postponement of the exercise. The Senator pledged that the Committee would advocate for the census and possibly meet with President Tinubu. He noted that the Committee would wait to see whether the Census will be included in the 2025 budget estimates that would be presented to the National Assembly anytime soon.

In his response, NPC Chairman, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra expressed gratitude for the Senate’s oversight, explaining the NPC's structure, mandate and the challenges it faces due to funding constraints. He warned that Nigeria risks missing the technological advancements recommended for the 2020 round of censuses.

Hon. Kwarra underscored the importance of a biometric census based on the recommendation of the review meeting of African countries on the 2030 round of censuses to enhance the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system, which is crucial for establishing identity across the nation. He called on the Senate Committee to help push for the timely conduct of the next census, noting the significant data gaps that have arisen from the prolonged delay.

NPC Chairman noted that the Commission is conducting a comprehensive review of the census sensitive materials such as PDAs stored in CBN offices nationwide to ascertain their current status of functionality.

Deputy Chairman of the Senate Committee, Sen. Otunba Gbenga Daniel, praised the NPC for its thorough review of census materials, stating that the findings will be invaluable for informing future decisions on the census.

Hon. Kwarra later led the Senate Committee members on a tour of the ongoing construction at the NPC's permanent headquarters in the Mabushi District of Abuja.

As the committee navigates these challenges, the urgency for a comprehensive national census has never been clearer, with the future of Nigeria's data infrastructure hanging in the balance.