Vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has called on the Federal Government to urgently conduct a new National Population and Housing Census, warning that Nigeria can no longer rely on population figures collected two decades ago.
Kwankwaso made the appeal on Saturday in a statement shared via his official 𝕏 account to commemorate this year’s World Population Day, arguing that outdated demographic data has become a major obstacle to effective governance and national development.
According to the former Kano State governor, the country’s last population census was conducted in 2006, leaving policymakers with obsolete figures for planning critical sectors such as education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, employment and the distribution of public resources.
He said the prolonged delay in conducting another census has weakened national planning and affected efforts to ensure balanced and equitable development across Nigeria.
“The last exercise, held in 2006, has left us relying on outdated population figures for critical national decisions on education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, employment, and resource allocation,” Kwankwaso stated.
The NDC vice-presidential candidate stressed that accurate and up-to-date population statistics are indispensable for economic planning, national security, sustainable development and inclusive governance.
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He therefore urged the Federal Government to make the exercise a priority, insisting that the next census must be transparent, credible and driven by modern technology to produce reliable data.
“On this World Population Day, I strongly urge the Federal Government to prioritise and conduct a credible, transparent, and technology-driven National Population and Housing Census without further delay. The time for excuses is over. The time to act is now,” he said.
Kwankwaso maintained that a fresh census would provide government at all levels with the reliable data needed to make informed policy decisions and plan effectively for Nigeria’s growing population.