Tinubu plans committee to align census budget with Nigeria’s financial realities
President Bola Tinubu
Abdullateef Fowewe
President Bola Tinubu has announced plans to establish a committee aimed at aligning the census budget with the government’s current financial realities.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the announcement came during a meeting with officials from the National Population Commission at the State House on Monday.
This meeting marks a significant step towards conducting a new national population and housing census, incorporating biometric and digital components.
Tinubu emphasised that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) must be involved in the review process.
The statement said, “Nigeria took a step closer on Monday to conducting a new national population and housing census with biometric and digital components. The nation last held a census in November 2006.
“President Bola Tinubu, at a meeting at the Statehouse with officials of the National Population Commission (NPC), said he would set up a committee to align the census budget to the government’s present financial realities.
“He said the National Identity Management Commission(NIMC) must be part of the review.”
The president was quoted saying, “We must ascertain who we are, how many we are, and how to manage our data. Without an accurate census, we can’t successfully plan for employment, agriculture, and food sovereignty. So many problems come up without accurate data.”
The president thereby reiterated his commitment to ensuring accurate and reliable figures from the national census to strengthen development planning and improve Nigerians’ living conditions through more efficient social security.
“The National Population Commission (NPC) Chairman, Nasir Isa Kwarra, and some other members briefed the President.
“President Tinubu noted that government incentives, such as the sale and distribution of fertilisers, could be easily improved with more reliable data and demographics,” Tinubu noted.
The President told the delegation that biometric capturing should be central to the process, with multiple identification features, including facial and voice recognition.
“We should work on our financial muscle well in place to lift our burden before we go and meet development partners for the census. We should work out the figures before discussing the role of development partners.
“This stop-and-go activity on the census cannot work with me. So we better have a definite path. I will set up a committee for you to look at the issues critically and do a source and application of resources. Where can we get help, and what can we lift before we embark on proclamation?” Tinubu added.
