President Tinubu Rejects N942bn Census Proposal

President Bola Tinubu has rejected a N942 billion proposal by the National Population Commission (NPC) for conducting the national housing and population census, demanding significant cost reductions before approval.

In a meeting held on February 24, 2025, at the State House, Tinubu engaged with NPC officials, including Chairman Nasir Kwarra, to discuss the budget for the long-awaited census. According to sources close to the discussions, the President expressed concerns over the high cost and insisted on exploring more affordable alternatives.

Despite his desire to move forward with the census, Tinubu emphasized the need for a more feasible financial plan. “The money they were proposing was quite much. It is almost N1 trillion, and I feel that is too much,” one insider revealed. Tinubu called for the formation of a committee to review and streamline the census budget, aligning it with the government’s current financial constraints.

To further reduce costs, the President suggested involving members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to assist with the data collection process. “He was even suggesting that we recruit youth corps members to make it cheaper,” another official shared.

Also, President Tinubu underscored the importance of an accurate census for national development, pointing out that reliable data is crucial for effective planning in areas like employment, agriculture, and food security. He stressed that biometric technologies, such as facial and voice recognition, should play a central role in the process.

The President further noted the necessity of including the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in the review process. “We must ascertain who we are, how many we are, and how to manage our data,” he stated, noting that accurate data would improve government services, including the distribution of fertilisers and other incentives.

While the details of the committee’s composition remain unclear, sources suggest that it will involve various government agencies, including NIMC, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), and the Ministry of Digital Economy, among others.

This latest development comes after several delays in the census, which was originally planned for 2023 but was postponed due to budgetary issues, political transitions, and logistical challenges. The census had last taken place in 2006, and previous attempts at conducting it under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari were hampered by funding shortages, insecurity, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

With President Tinubu pushing for a more cost-effective approach, the outcome of the planned committee’s review will likely determine when and how the long-overdue national census will proceed.

Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, emphasized that census data will be crucial for future policy-making and resource distribution. The Minister further revealed that efforts are underway to integrate data from multiple sources, including the National Identity Management Commission and telecoms data, to optimize available resources for the census.

NPC officials, for their part, have assured that they are working with development partners to secure support once the census is formally approved by the President.