President Bola Tinubu rejected the National Population Commission’s N942bn census budget, emphasizing cost-cutting measures during discussions.
Sources disclosed that Tinubu suggested using National Youth Service Corps members to reduce the census exercise’s personnel expenses significantly.
After meeting NPC officials, including Chairman Nasir Kwarra, Tinubu pledged to form a committee reviewing census expenditures.
Presidential Adviser Bayo Onanuga confirmed Tinubu’s decision in a statement addressing Nigeria’s ongoing preparations for an updated census.
Tinubu emphasized that census planning must follow a structured approach rather than intermittent, uncoordinated activities disrupting national progress.
He insisted on reviewing financial resources, assessing funding sources, and optimizing existing data systems before announcing census plans.
A government official, speaking anonymously, confirmed Tinubu’s commitment to conducting the census but reducing the budget drastically.
“The N942bn proposal seemed excessive, nearly N1tn, which Tinubu found unacceptable,” the source revealed after discussions.
Another insider confirmed that Tinubu proposed deploying NYSC members nationwide to help minimize census workforce expenses significantly.
“He suggested enlisting youth corps members to make the process cheaper,” another government official disclosed following deliberations.
However, sources confirmed that specifics regarding Tinubu’s new committee remain unclear as discussions continue within government agencies.
Tinubu emphasized the National Identity Management Commission’s involvement in reviewing census methodology and integrating biometric registration measures.
He stressed that Nigeria requires accurate population data for effective planning in employment, agriculture, and national development strategies.
Reliable census data would enhance government programs, including fertilizer distribution and social interventions, ensuring efficient resource allocation nationwide.
Tinubu insisted biometric capturing—using facial and voice recognition—should play a central role in the census process.
He advised strengthening Nigeria’s financial capabilities before seeking external development partners’ assistance to fund the census operation.
Nigeria’s last census occurred in 2006, facing multiple delays due to logistical challenges and insufficient government funding allocations.
The Muhammadu Buhari administration planned a 2023 census but postponed it because of financial constraints and political transitions.
Despite investments in digital mapping and biometric technology, census preparations encountered setbacks caused by insecurity and logistical challenges.
Tinubu’s administration struggles with timing, methodology, and capturing data on mobile populations, including displaced individuals nationwide.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, reiterated census data’s importance for national planning and resource distribution.
Bagudu emphasized ongoing inter-agency collaborations to integrate identity data from different government registries and improve census efficiency.
The NPC chairman confirmed acquiring 760,000 tablets stored with the Central Bank, pending Tinubu’s final census announcement.
