From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
Senate President Godswill Akpabio emphasised the critical need for a new national census during a meeting with the National Population Commission (NPC) delegation in Abuja, calling it essential for effective national planning. He noted that Nigeria’s last census was in 2006, making updated population data long overdue.
“It’s a national embarrassment that even Nigerians representing the country abroad do not know our actual population. You hear different figures—250 million, 270 million, or even over 300 million. This confusion must end,” Akpabio said.
He warned, “You cannot plan for the number of mouths to feed, the number of children to educate, or the infrastructure to provide without knowing how many people you are planning for.”
Akpabio pledged the National Assembly’s support for the NPC once President Bola Tinubu issues the census proclamation. “The Senate will stand by you all the way,” he assured.
NPC Chairman Nasir Isa Kwarra, leading the delegation, updated Akpabio on preparations and sought continued legislative backing. “We want to make Nigerians proud by conducting a thorough census that will provide data for planning, policy formulation, and development tracking,” Kwarra said.