NPC REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO CREDIBLE, TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN NATIONAL CENSUS

NPC REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO CREDIBLE, TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN NATIONAL CENSUS

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Chairman of National Population Commission (NPC), Dr. Aminu Yusuf, has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to conducting a credible, technology-driven Population and Housing Census, while strengthening data systems and fostering strategic partnerships for sustainable national development.

Dr. Yusuf made this known during his welcome address at a meeting between the NPC and the Population Advisory Group (PAG) held on Monday, 26th January 2026, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja. The meeting marked his first formal engagement with the advisory body since assuming office.

In his remarks, the NPC Chairman expressed appreciation to members of the PAG for their congratulatory message and support, describing the group as “a critical pillar in the implementation of the National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development.” He emphasized the central role of the PAG in shaping population discourse, aligning demographic planning with national priorities, and strengthening policy coherence.

“The Population Advisory Group plays a strategic role in ensuring that population and development issues are effectively mainstreamed into national planning, budgeting, and governance,” Dr. Yusuf stated.

He underscored that population management “is not a bureaucratic routine but a national mission that demands trust, dialogue, and collaboration,” pledging continued engagement with governments at all levels, traditional and religious institutions, civil society, academia, the private sector, and development partners.

Reaffirming the Commission’s readiness for a credible and technologically advanced census exercise, Dr. Yusuf described the forthcoming Population and Housing Census as “one of the most complex but essential undertakings of government.”

He also announced the Commission’s plans to digitize the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system across the country, transforming it into an integrated, nationwide digital platform to support national identity management, social inclusion, and evidence-based policy-making.

Highlighting the Commission’s research mandate, Dr. Yusuf pledged to position the NPC as Nigeria’s foremost demographic think tank, producing robust data and empirical analyses to guide policy decisions.

“Through stronger partnerships with government agencies, academia, and development partners, we will ensure that national policies are guided by credible evidence, not assumptions,” he added.

He further drew attention to Nigeria’s evolving demographic dynamics, including rapid urbanization, changing fertility patterns, and a youthful population, noting that effective population management is central to addressing national challenges in education, health, housing, and employment.

Dr. Yusuf reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to close collaboration with the PAG, describing its advisory role as indispensable to achieving the NPC’s objectives. He urged members to sustain open, constructive discussions that produce actionable outcomes and strengthen the implementation of the National Population Policy.

The NPC Chairman assured that the PAG biannual meeting would be held consistently as part of the institutional engagement calendar.

Responding on behalf of the Population Advisory Group, Ambassador Usman Sarki, the PAG Spokesperson, commended Dr. Yusuf’s visionary leadership and reaffirmed the Group’s support for the NPC’s mandate.

“Our visit today is a courtesy call to recognize your dual role as Chairman of both the NPC and the PAG, and to affirm our readiness to work closely with you in advancing the Commission’s mission,” Ambassador Sarki stated.

He reiterated the PAG’s commitment to the successful implementation of the Revised National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development (NPP) and emphasized the importance of institutional synergy and shared ownership within the framework established by the policy.

The NPP, launched on February 3, 2022, established a three-tier institutional structure comprising: the National Council on Population Management (NCPM), chaired by the President; the Population Advisory Group (PAG), chaired by the NPC Chairman; and the Population Technical Working Group (PTWG), chaired by the NPC Director-General.

Ambassador Sarki described the PAG as a high-level advisory body of eminent Nigerians drawn from the six geopolitical zones, with due regard to gender balance. He noted that the Group provides strategic advice and supports the NPC through resource mobilization, stakeholder engagement, evidence-based policy guidance, and collaboration with international development partners.

Commending Dr. Yusuf’s recently introduced 7-Point Agenda, Sarki lauded it as a timely initiative to reposition the NPC for greater efficiency and impact.

“The PAG stands ready to contribute to the realization of the 7-Point Agenda in every detail. We are confident that your leadership will reinvigorate the Group and position it to function optimally in support of the NPC,” he said.

Also speaking, Dr. Ejike Oji, Chairman of the Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP), urged the NPC Chairman to collaborate with key stakeholders to encourage President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to convene the National Council on Population Management (NCPM) meeting before the end of February. He noted that such a meeting would enable timely policy decisions on population and development issues in Nigeria.

The session was attended by members of the Population Advisory Group (both physically and virtually), alongside Federal Commissioners, the NPC Director-General, management staff, senior technical officials, and aides of the Chairman, who participated as observers.

The Population Advisory Group (PAG) serves as a key advisory platform within the National Population Policy framework, offering technical and strategic guidance to the NPC on population management, demographic trends, and sustainable development strategies.