Tinubu insists on Biometric Census for accurate data collection

As Nigeria prepares for the long-awaited national population and housing census, President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring accurate and reliable data for effective development planning and improved social security.

To achieve this, the President stressed the importance of incorporating biometric and digital components into the census to determine the country’s actual population.

Speaking on Monday during a meeting with officials of the National Population Commission (NPC) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Tinubu stated that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) must be integrated into the census process.

“We must ascertain who we are, how many we are, and how to manage our data. Without an accurate census, we cannot successfully plan for employment, agriculture, and food sovereignty. Many problems arise without accurate data,” he said in a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.

The last national census in Nigeria was conducted in November 2006.

President Tinubu also announced plans to establish a committee to review the census budget and align it with the government’s financial situation before seeking support from development partners.

“This stop-and-go activity on the census cannot work with me. We need a definite path. I will set up a committee to critically examine the issues, assess our resources, and determine what we can fund before seeking external support,” he added.

He further emphasized that biometric capturing should be central to the census process, incorporating multiple identification features such as facial and voice recognition. According to him, government incentives like fertilizer distribution could be better managed with more reliable demographic data.

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, reaffirmed Tinubu’s dedication to conducting the census, stating that the data collected would be essential for national planning and resource allocation.

“At the 2023 ministers’ retreat, Mr. President reiterated his commitment to the census. In fact, at the last Federal Executive Council meeting, he asked me about the delay, and I explained that it was due to funding constraints. However, the NPC and all stakeholders must determine the minimum amount required to support Mr. President in making a final decision,” Bagudu said.

He noted that in the 2006 census, 40% of the funding came from development partners. He also highlighted ongoing efforts to integrate identity management agencies, including the NPC, NIMC, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Ministry of Digital Economy, passport registry, social register, voter register, telecoms data, and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

NPC Chairman Nasir Isa Kwarra stressed the urgency of the census, pointing out that after 19 years, previous population figures were no longer reliable for planning. He disclosed that 760,000 tablets had already been acquired and stored at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in preparation for the exercise.

He assured that once President Tinubu officially announces the new census date, the commission would engage development partners to secure the necessary support.