Akpabio Calls for Urgent National Census, Describes Lack of Accurate Data as Embarrassing

By Iyojo Ameh

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has emphasized the urgent need for a new national population census, describing the country’s continued reliance on outdated data as a major impediment to effective planning and development.

Speaking on Wednesday while receiving a delegation from the National Population Commission (NPC) in his office, Akpabio expressed concern that Nigeria has not conducted a population census since 2006.

“It’s almost a national embarrassment that we do not know our exact population. Figures range wildly from 220 million to over 300 million depending on where you go,” he said.

Akpabio stressed that without accurate population data, national planning remains ineffective, noting that crucial sectors such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure depend heavily on up-to-date demographic information.

“You cannot truly plan for the future if you don’t know the number of mouths to feed or the number of children to educate. Any country that fails to plan for its future has already accepted to fail,” he added.

The Senate President assured the NPC of the National Assembly’s support, pledging that lawmakers would work closely with the commission to ensure the successful execution of the next census.

“The Senate will stand by you all the way. I am confident that with the calibre of people in this commission, and with the President’s support, once the proclamation is made, you will rise to the challenge,” he stated.

Earlier, NPC Chairman Nasir Isa Kwarra, who led the delegation, said the visit was aimed at updating the Senate President on the commission’s preparations and to solicit continued legislative support.

“We cannot conduct this census without the support of the National Assembly. We are committed to delivering a credible, data-rich census that will guide national planning, policymaking, and development tracking,” Kwarra said.

The NPC is expected to announce the date for the next national population and housing census once the official proclamation is made by the President.