Senate President Godswill Akpabio has called for an immediate national population census, emphasizing its importance for Nigeria’s future development and noting that the last census was conducted in 2006.
During a meeting with the National Population Commission’s management team on Wednesday, Akpabio expressed concern over the country’s reliance on outdated and conflicting population estimates.
He stated, “I do not want to call it a national disgrace, but can I say it is a national embarrassment that even Nigerians who go outside to represent us in different fora do not know the number of Nigerians. Sometimes you will go to some places, and they will say 250 million Nigerians. At another place, they will say you people are over 270 million. Some African countries think we are over 300 million.”
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Akpabio pointed out that the inconsistencies in population figures have caused confusion and hindered effective national planning, adding, “If you go to places where they are holding retreats now, they are now shrinking the number from 250 million to 220 million. I think it’s time to bring that confusion to an end.”
He stressed the crucial role of accurate population data in government decision-making, saying, “Any country that fails to know its population has already started to fail in its planning. You cannot truly plan for the future if you don’t know the number of mouths you want to feed. You do not know the number of children that you want to put in schools.”
Akpabio pledged the National Assembly’s support for the upcoming census, assuring the NPC team, “The National Assembly will support you to succeed. I have no doubt, with the calibre of men and women that I have seen here, that the task that Mr President has given to you, once the proclamation is done, you will rise to the occasion. And I know that the National Assembly, the Senate in particular, will stand by you all the way.”
NPC Chairman Nasir Kwarra, who led the delegation, explained that the visit was to brief the Senate President on the commission’s preparations and to seek continued legislative support.
He noted, “We cannot conduct this census without your support. We want to make Nigerians proud by conducting a very thorough census that will yield a lot of data that will assist in planning, policy formulation, and tracking our development.”
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