Presidential Committee to Source N949bn for National Census-Bagudu
By Patience Ikpeme
The recently inaugurated Presidential Committee on Population and Housing has been charged to explore viable funding strategies for the forthcoming Population and Housing Census, for which the National Population Commission (NPC) has proposed a budget of N949 billion.
This initiative follows President Bola Tinubu’s directive to ensure proper planning and financial preparedness for the nationwide enumeration, which is expected to be Nigeria’s most technologically advanced and comprehensive census exercise.
At the committee’s inaugural meeting in Abuja, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, explained that the new body is a temporary, technical team tasked with advising the government on funding options, planning timelines, and institutional coordination for the census.
Bagudu, who chairs the committee, clarified that the group will not conduct the census but will serve to support the NPC in its constitutional mandate by offering strategic recommendations.
“Our responsibility is to assess what exists, advise on what is feasible, and help unlock the next phase of action,” the minister stated. “A national census is not just an administrative task; it is a cornerstone for evidence-based planning in sectors such as urban development, security, healthcare, and social services.”
He noted that the committee has a five-point mandate: to review the current census budget in light of present fiscal conditions, identify domestic and external sources of funding, develop a resource mobilization plan involving development partners and private sector actors, assess the NPC’s logistical and technical preparedness, and propose a realistic timeline for conducting the census.
President Tinubu, after receiving a progress report from the NPC in February 2025, supported the need for a modern, digital census featuring biometric tools like facial and fingerprint recognition. However, he directed that the timing and financing of the exercise must be consistent with the country’s economic realities.
The President has asked the committee to submit preliminary recommendations within three weeks. “This timeline reflects the seriousness of the assignment and the trust placed in this team to deliver workable solutions,” Bagudu told members.
The committee includes top government officials such as the Chairman of the NPC, Mr. Nasir Kwarra, who will serve as secretary; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Olawale Edun; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Mohammed Idris; Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Zach Adedeji; Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Ms. Bisoye Coker-Odusote; Principal Private Secretary to the President, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola; and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration (Office of the Chief of Staff), Mr. Temilola Adekunle-Johnson.
