THE Senate has vowed to ensure a national population census is conducted before the current administration concludes in 2027.
This commitment was emphasized during a budget defense session with Nasir Isa Kwarra, Chairman of the National Population Commission.
Senator Abdul Ningi, Chairman of the Committee on National Identity Management and Population, stated, “We will not relent until a census is carried out before the end of this administration.”
He disclosed plans for the Senate to meet with President Bola Tinubu to emphasize the importance of holding the census in 2025. “We will soon engage the President and formally communicate through the Senate President, stressing the necessity of conducting the census this year,” he added.
Senator Olalere Oyewunmi also highlighted the need to urge the President to prioritize the census. Similarly, Senator Diket Plang expressed concern over the nation’s reliance on estimated population figures, which he said impedes effective planning.
“It is troubling that we still depend on estimates in this modern era. How can we plan effectively without accurate population data? It’s unfortunate that 2024 passed without achieving 90% performance. We must aim for a definitive count by 2025,” Plang stated.
Nasir Isa Kwarra noted that the census budget is still being finalized as they plan to include biometric technology in the process.
“We are working to incorporate the biometric component into this year’s budget and conduct a test run before meeting with the President.
“The President supports a biometric approach to the headcount, shifting away from traditional methods,” he explained.