President Bola Tinubu has rejected the National Population Commission’s (NPC) ₦942 billion proposal for conducting the national housing and population census, insisting on cost-cutting measures.

Sources familiar with the discussions at the State House on February 24, 2025, revealed to The PUNCH that Tinubu suggested deploying members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to reduce personnel costs.

After being briefed by NPC Chairman Nasir Kwarra and other officials, Tinubu assured them that a committee would be established to align the census budget with the government’s financial realities.

In a statement titled “Nigeria Moves Closer to Fresh Census, President Tinubu to Set Up Committee,” Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, quoted Tinubu as saying, “This stop-and-go activity on the census cannot work with me. So, we better have a definite path.”

He further emphasized the need to critically assess resource allocation, stating, “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?”

A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, disclosed that Tinubu insisted the proposed ₦942 billion budget was excessive.

“The main issue from that meeting was that the money they were proposing was quite much. It is around ₦942bn. That is almost ₦1tn. And the President felt that it was too much. That is why he said there would be a committee to look at the issues altogether because that cost must come down. He wants to do it. He wants the census to happen. But the cost is too high. His goal is that they should do it for less,” the source explained.

Another insider at the meeting confirmed that Tinubu proposed using NYSC members nationwide to cut costs, saying, “He was even suggesting that they recruit youth corps members to make it cheaper.”

However, a third source indicated that details about the committee were still unclear. “We have heard nothing about that committee for now. It is still being put together as we speak. But the agencies concerned will be on it,” the source stated.

At the meeting, Tinubu stressed that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) must be part of the review.

“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,” he noted.

The President also highlighted how improved data collection could enhance government initiatives, such as the distribution of fertilizers, and emphasized the importance of biometric capturing, 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,” he added.

Nigeria has not conducted a housing and population census since November 2006, with repeated delays caused by funding constraints, security challenges, and logistical hurdles. The 2023 census, initially planned under former President Muhammadu Buhari, was postponed due to overlapping concerns, including political transitions and budgetary issues.

The Tinubu administration has also struggled to finalize a timeline and methodology for the exercise, particularly in capturing data on Nigeria’s large, mobile population, including internally displaced persons.

Meanwhile, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, stressed the importance of census data for future planning and resource allocation.

“Mr President, we have been having ecosystem meetings to link the identity agencies, even the geo-spatial chaired by the ministry, because of our mandate as the supervising ministry of the National Bureau of Statistics.

“So, the NPC, NBS, NIMC, Ministry of Digital Economy, passport, social register, voters register, and even telecoms data have been meeting with the National Space Research and Development Agency to see how much is available to the government regarding data and how much optimisation can take place,” Bagudu explained.

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