Tinubu rejects N942bn census budget, orders use of corps members to minimize cost

President Bola Tinubu has declined a proposal by the National Population Commission (NPC) to allocate N942 billion for the national housing and population census, urging the agency to cut costs.

Sources familiar with the discussions, which took place at the State House on February 24, 2025, revealed that Tinubu emphasized the need for financial prudence and proposed alternative measures to reduce expenses.

One key suggestion was deploying members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for the exercise to minimize personnel costs.

Following a briefing by NPC Chairman Nasir Kwarra and other officials, Tinubu announced plans to establish a committee that would reassess the budget and align it with the government’s current financial realities.

In a statement titled “Nigeria Moves Closer to Fresh Census, President Tinubu to Set Up Committee,” the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, quoted Tinubu as saying, “This stop-and-go activity on the census cannot work with me. So, we better have a definite path.”

He further emphasized the importance of carefully evaluating funding sources before proceeding.

“I will set up a committee to critically examine the issues, assess available resources, and determine what we can afford before making a proclamation,” Tinubu was quoted as saying.

An official present at the meeting, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the President was determined to conduct the census but found the proposed budget excessive.

“The main concern was the cost—almost N1 trillion—which the President felt was too high. He made it clear that the budget must be significantly reduced,” the source explained.

Another attendee disclosed that Tinubu suggested leveraging NYSC members nationwide to help lower expenses.

“He believes using youth corps members would make the process more cost-effective,” the insider said.

Despite Tinubu’s announcement of a new committee to review the budget, details about its structure and members remain unclear.

“So far, we haven’t received any updates on the committee’s formation, but relevant agencies will be involved,” another source noted.

During the meeting, Tinubu also stressed the importance of integrating the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) into the census planning process.

“Accurate data is essential for planning in areas like employment, agriculture, and food security. Without reliable figures, policy decisions will be flawed,” he stated.

He highlighted that government initiatives, such as fertilizer distribution, could be more efficiently managed with better demographic data.

Additionally, he insisted that biometric capturing, including facial and voice recognition, should be central to the census process.

The President urged the NPC to assess the country’s financial capacity before seeking support from development partners.

“We must first determine what we can afford before engaging external donors,” he added.

Nigeria has struggled to conduct a national census since the last one in 2006. Repeated delays, funding constraints, security concerns, and logistical challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic have prevented previous administrations from carrying out the exercise.

A planned 2023 census was postponed due to financial and political transitions, leaving stakeholders unable to finalize preparations before former President Muhammadu Buhari left office.

The Tinubu administration has also faced difficulties in rescheduling the census, with uncertainties over funding, methodology, and how to account for internally displaced persons and other mobile populations.

Meanwhile, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, emphasized that census data would play a crucial role in future economic planning and resource distribution.

He noted that ongoing discussions among key agencies including the NPC, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), NIMC, Ministry of Digital Economy, and telecoms regulators aim to optimize existing data resources and determine the minimum funding required for the exercise.

In his briefing, NPC Chairman Kwarra revealed that 760,000 tablets had already been procured and stored with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

He assured that the commission would collaborate with development partners once Tinubu officially approves the census.