A budget estimate of N942 billion that National Population Commission (NPC) submitted for the conduct of a national population census, has been turned down by the Presidency.
According to a news report by The PUNCH, President Bola Tinubu turned the budget request down during a meeting with the management of NPC on Monday, February 24, 2025, at the State House, saying there was need to cut cost.
The President reportedly said members of the National Youth Service Corps should be used for the exercise.
Tinubu reportedly told the NPC team led by its Chairman, Nasir Kwarra, to set up a committee to align the census budget to the government’s present financial realities.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, in a statement titled, ‘Nigeria moves closer to fresh census, President Tinubu to set up committee,’ quoted Tinubu as saying “This stop-and-go activity on the census cannot work with me. So, we better have a definite path.”
Tinubu was quoted to have said further, “I will set up a committee for you to look at the issues critically and do a source and application of resources. Where can we get help, and what can we lift before we embark on proclamation?”
Tinubu has agreed that the census should be conducted, but at a cost lower than the proposed amount.
Government sources said, “The main issue from that meeting was that the money they were proposing was quite much. It is around N942bn. That is almost N1tn. And the President felt that it was too much. That is why he said there would be a committee to look at the issues altogether because that cost must come down.
“He wants to do it. He wants the census to happen. But the cost is too high. His goal is that they should do it for less.”
At the meeting, Tinubu was reported to have said the National Identity Management Commission must be part of the review.
“So many problems come up without accurate data,” President Tinubu said.
