Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has clarified that the newly inaugurated Presidential Committee on Population and Housing Census is a temporary advisory body tasked with mobilising resources and aligning plans for Nigeria’s long-anticipated census.
Speaking in Abuja at the committee’s inaugural meeting, Bagudu, who chairs the committee, stated that its primary role is to identify feasible funding strategies, evaluate the preparedness of the National Population Commission (NPC), and recommend a realistic timeline for conducting the digital Population and Housing Census.
President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the committee last week to provide targeted guidance on the financing and institutional coordination required for a credible census. Bagudu emphasized that the committee is distinct from the National Population Commission, which is the legally mandated agency to conduct the census, noting that this committee exists solely to provide technical and financial oversight.
“The committee’s work is strictly within its five-point terms of reference,” Bagudu explained. These include reviewing the existing census budget to ensure it aligns with current fiscal realities, recommending both domestic and external sources of funding, developing a resource mobilisation strategy, and evaluating the NPC’s current technical and logistical preparedness.
He also noted that the committee is expected to recommend an optimal and achievable date for the enumeration exercise based on available resources and national priorities.
Highlighting the importance of the committee’s work, Bagudu remarked, “A national census is not a routine administrative exercise; it is a sovereign investment in evidence-based governance.” He said the task ahead was critical, especially as Nigeria grapples with complex challenges in areas like urbanisation, security, food systems, and public health.
“The need for up-to-date population and housing data is not simply desirable but foundational. Our responsibility is to assess what exists, advise on what is feasible, and help unlock the next phase of action,” Bagudu said.
He disclosed that President Tinubu has directed the committee to submit preliminary recommendations within three weeks—a timeline he described as a reflection of both urgency and the president’s confidence in the team.
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The committee’s composition includes high-level officials such as the Chairman of the NPC, Mr. Nasir Kwarra (secretary); Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Mohammed Idris; Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr. Zacch Adedeji; Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission, Ms. Bisoye Coker-Odusote; Principal Private Secretary to the President, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola; and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration, Mr. Temilola Adekunle-Johnson.
Their mandate follows a comprehensive briefing by the NPC to President Tinubu on February 24, 2025, during which the commission revealed its readiness to conduct a digital census with biometric features, including fingerprint, facial, and voice recognition technologies to enhance credibility and inclusivity.
President Tinubu reiterated his full support for the census but emphasized the need to harmonize its implementation with Nigeria’s current economic realities. He consequently ordered the formation of the Bagudu-led committee to guide the process with informed, practical advice.
Also in attendance at the meeting were senior officials from the Ministry of Finance, FIRS, NIMC, and the National Bureau of Statistics, underscoring the multi-agency collaboration expected to drive the success of Nigeria’s first digital census.
