THE Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Isa Kwarra, has officially ended his five-year tenure, handing over the leadership of the commission to Muhammad Dattijo, the Federal Commissioner representing Niger State.
Dattijo will serve as Acting Chairman pending the swearing-in of Aminu Yusuf by President Bola Tinubu as the substantive head of the commission.
The brief but symbolic handover ceremony took place at the NPC headquarters in Abuja, with Federal Commissioners, the Director-General, Directors, and staff of the commission in attendance.
In a statement released by the NPC today, Kwarra expressed appreciation to his colleagues and staff for their support throughout his tenure, noting that the commission had made significant progress in strengthening Nigeria’s data systems.
“Hon. Kwarra expressed appreciation to the Federal Commissioners, Management, and Staff of the NPC for their unwavering support and dedication throughout his five-year tenure,” the statement read.
He highlighted achievements such as the digitisation of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, improved data collection systems, and advanced preparations for the forthcoming National Population and Housing Census.
The ceremony, marked by warm tributes and emotional farewells, included the signing of the official handover notes, presentation of a parting gift, and a group photograph.
Kwarra, who was appointed in 2020 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, led the commission through one of its most critical phases—the buildup to Nigeria’s first census in nearly two decades.
Under his leadership, the NPC implemented digital mapping and enumeration area demarcation, a major technological upgrade designed to modernise census operations and improve data accuracy.
The much-anticipated census, originally scheduled for 2023, was postponed due to the change in administration.
With Dattijo now at the helm in an acting capacity, the commission is expected to sustain ongoing projects as it awaits the formal swearing-in of Hon. Aminu Yusuf, who will be tasked with steering the commission toward completing the long-delayed national census—crucial for evidence-based planning and equitable development across Nigeria.