Akpabio Demands Immediate Census to Address Population Confusion

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has called for the immediate conduct of a national population census, describing the exercise as critical for Nigeria’s future and long overdue.

He made the statement on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by the management team of the National Population Commission (NPC) to his office in Abuja.

Akpabio expressed frustration with the reliance on outdated and inconsistent population estimates, noting that Nigeria’s last census was conducted in 2006. He said the lack of reliable data has caused confusion both within and outside the country.

“I do not want to call it a national disgrace, but can I say it is a national embarrassment that even Nigerians who go outside to represent us in different fora do not know the number of Nigerians,” Akpabio said.

He cited the varying population figures often mentioned, saying, “Sometimes you will go to some places, and they will say 250 million Nigerians. At another place, they will say you people are over 270 million. Some African countries think we are over 300 million.”

The Senate President added that the conflicting data has complicated effective planning and decision-making in the country. “If you go to places where they are holding retreats now, they are shrinking the number from 250 million to 220 million. I think it’s time to bring that confusion to an end,” he said.

Akpabio emphasized that accurate population data is vital for governance and development, explaining that no country can effectively plan its future without knowing its population. “Any country that fails to know its population has already started to fail in its planning. You cannot truly plan for the future if you don’t know the number of mouths you want to feed. You do not know the number of children that you want to put in schools,” he said.

He assured the NPC delegation of the National Assembly’s full support for the forthcoming census. “The National Assembly will support you to succeed. I have no doubt, with the calibre of men and women that I have seen here, that the task that Mr. President has given to you, once the proclamation is done, you will rise to the occasion. And I know that the National Assembly, the Senate in particular, will stand by you all the way,” Akpabio stated.

The Chairman of the NPC, Nasir Kwarra, who led the delegation, explained that their visit was to brief the Senate President on the commission’s preparations for the census and to seek continued legislative support.

“We cannot conduct this census without your support,” Kwarra said. “We want to make Nigerians proud by conducting a very thorough census that will yield a lot of data to assist in planning, policy formulation, and tracking our development.”

Kwarra reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to conducting a transparent and credible census. He expressed confidence in the NPC’s ability to deliver accurate data that would enhance Nigeria’s development planning and policy-making efforts.

The visit ended with both parties agreeing on the critical importance of the census to Nigeria’s future. Akpabio reiterated his belief that the census would provide the clarity needed to address the country’s socio-economic challenges effectively.