The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, has clarified that the Presidential Committee on Population and Housing Census is a technical advisory body with the sole mandate of identifying and facilitating funding sources for the upcoming national enumeration exercise.
Bagudu made the statement on Tuesday in Abuja during the inaugural meeting of the committee, which was officially inaugurated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last week. According to him, the committee was constituted to provide expert guidance on financing strategies, institutional coordination, and realistic timelines to support the planned enumeration of Nigerians.
Chairing the committee, Bagudu explained that the body operates independently from the National Population Commission, which remains the constitutionally empowered agency to organise and implement population and housing censuses across the country.
He said, “A national census is not a routine administrative exercise; it is a sovereign investment in evidence-based governance. As we confront new challenges in urbanisation, security, food systems, public health, and social protection, the need for up-to-date population and housing data is not simply desirable but foundational. The assignment before this committee is, therefore, urgent and consequential.”
The minister stressed that the ad-hoc committee was established strictly for technical advisory purposes, and its members were selected based on the strategic roles of their respective offices in the Nigerian government.
Members of the committee include the Chairman of the National Population Commission, Mr Nasir Kwarra, who serves as secretary; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Olawale Edun; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris; Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr Zach Adedeji; Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission, 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.
Bagudu outlined the committee’s five-point terms of reference, which include conducting a thorough review of the existing census budget to ensure it aligns with prevailing fiscal realities and national development priorities.
He said other responsibilities involve identifying feasible funding sources—both domestic and international—and formulating a comprehensive resource mobilisation plan that engages development partners, international agencies, and local private sector stakeholders.
The committee is also expected to assess the National Population Commission’s current level of preparedness, logistics, and technical capacity for the census and make recommendations for areas needing immediate improvement.
In addition, the committee will propose a realistic and optimal date for the conduct of the census, taking into account the availability of funds and other national considerations.
Bagudu told members that President Tinubu had directed the committee to deliver preliminary recommendations within three weeks.
He stated, “This timeline reflects both the gravity of the task and the confidence reposed in this team to provide practical, well-considered advice.”
He urged committee members to approach the assignment with a shared sense of duty and professionalism, and to ensure their work reflects strong institutional collaboration.
He added, “Our responsibility is to assess what exists, advise on what is feasible, and help unlock the next phase of action,” noting that the NPC had already laid a solid groundwork for the census.
The formation of the committee follows a briefing by the National Population Commission to President Tinubu on February 24, 2025. During the session, the NPC outlined progress made toward conducting Nigeria’s first digital population and housing census, which will include biometric data collection, and presented a proposed budget of N949 billion for the exercise.
