NPC Reaffirms Commitment to Credible, Technology-Driven National Census
The National Population Commission (NPC) has reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a credible, transparent, and technology-driven Population and Housing Census, as part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s population data systems and support sustainable national development.
The commission made this known in a statement on Tuesday following a meeting between the NPC Chairman, Mr Aminu Yusuf, and members of the Population Advisory Group (PAG) at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting marked Yusuf’s first formal engagement with the advisory body since assuming office.
Addressing the gathering on Monday, Yusuf described the Population Advisory Group as a critical stakeholder in the implementation of the National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development, stressing that effective population management is central to Nigeria’s long-term growth and planning.
“The Population Advisory Group plays a strategic role in ensuring that population and development issues are effectively mainstreamed into national planning, budgeting, and governance,” Yusuf said.
He emphasised that population management should not be viewed as routine bureaucracy but as a national mission requiring trust, collaboration, and sustained dialogue across sectors.
“Population management is not a bureaucratic routine but a national mission that demands trust, dialogue, and collaboration,” he stated.
Yusuf assured stakeholders that the commission was fully prepared to deliver a credible and technologically advanced census, describing the forthcoming Population and Housing Census as one of the most complex but essential undertakings of government.
As part of reforms within the commission, the NPC chairman disclosed plans to digitise the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system nationwide.
According to him, the initiative would establish an integrated digital platform to support national identity management, social inclusion, and evidence-based policymaking.
He also pledged to reposition the NPC as Nigeria’s leading demographic think tank, producing reliable data and research to guide public policy formulation and implementation.
“Through stronger partnerships with government agencies, academia, and development partners, we will ensure that national policies are guided by credible evidence, not assumptions,” Yusuf said.
Highlighting Nigeria’s evolving demographic landscape including rapid urbanisation, changing fertility patterns, and a predominantly youthful population Yusuf noted that effective population management was crucial to addressing challenges in education, healthcare, housing, and employment.
Responding on behalf of the Population Advisory Group, its spokesperson, Ambassador Usman Sarki, commended Yusuf’s leadership and reaffirmed the group’s full support for the commission’s mandate.
“Our visit today is a courtesy call to recognise your dual role as Chairman of both the NPC and the Population Advisory Group, and to affirm our readiness to work closely with you in advancing the commission’s mission,” Sarki said.
He reiterated the group’s commitment to the implementation of the Revised National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development, stressing the need for institutional collaboration and shared responsibility.
Sarki described the PAG as a high-level advisory body made up of eminent Nigerians drawn from the six geopolitical zones, noting that it provides strategic guidance, supports resource mobilisation, and promotes stakeholder engagement.
Commending Yusuf’s newly introduced seven-point agenda, he said the initiative would reposition the commission for improved efficiency and greater impact.
“The Population Advisory Group stands ready to contribute to the realisation of the seven-point agenda in every detail,” he added.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Chairman of the Association for the Advancement of Family Planning, Dr Ejike Oji, urged the NPC to engage relevant stakeholders to encourage President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to convene a meeting of the National Council on Population Management before the end of February.
According to Oji, such a meeting would enable timely decisions on key population and development issues confronting the country.
The meeting was attended by members of the Population Advisory Group, federal commissioners, the NPC Director-General, senior management staff, and other technical officials.
