Lawmakers Demand Comprehensive Census To Shape 2027 Planning

The Senate has reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a national population census before the conclusion of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in 2027.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

This assurance came during a budget defense session with the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Isa Kwarra.

Senator Abdul Ningi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Identity Management and Population, stressed the critical need for the census, stating, “We will not rest until a census is conducted before this administration ends.”

Ningi disclosed that the Senate plans to formally engage President Tinubu to underscore the importance of holding the census in 2025. “We will soon meet with the President and send a formal letter through the Senate President, emphasizing the need for a census this year,” he added.

Senator Olalere Oyewunmi echoed the urgency of the matter, urging the President to make the census a priority, while Senator Diket Plang criticized the nation’s reliance on outdated population estimates.

“It’s unacceptable that we are still relying on estimates in this modern age. How can we effectively plan without knowing our exact population?” Plang questioned, calling for a comprehensive headcount by 2025.

NPC Chairman Nasir Isa Kwarra explained that the census budget is pending as the commission intends to incorporate biometric technology into the process.

“We are working to integrate a biometric approach into this year’s budget and conduct a test run before meeting with the President. The President has expressed a preference for a biometric model over the conventional method,” Kwarra stated.