Nigeria’s Federal Government says it is placing clear, sustained public communication at the centre of preparations for the country’s next national population census, as officials push for a headcount that is transparent, lawful, and acceptable both at home and internationally.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this in Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital, on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, when he received the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Dr. Aminu Yusuf, who led a management delegation on a courtesy visit.
Idris said Nigeria cannot plan meaningfully without dependable population data, warning that weak or disputed figures can undermine development programmes and frustrate policy execution across sectors.
“Our census must be one Nigerians can trust and one the international community will accept,” the minister said, stressing that the administration of Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is focused on credibility, legality, and due process rather than rushing the exercise.
Okay News reports that the minister linked the start of the census process to the formal presidential proclamation of a census date, describing it as the lawful trigger required before full national mobilisation can begin.
He assured the National Population Commission of the backing of his ministry and its agencies, including the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Voice of Nigeria (VON), and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), to drive public enlightenment and encourage citizen participation once the date is proclaimed.
According to the minister, the Tinubu administration is working to align all legal and procedural steps to ensure the census meets international standards, adding that the proclamation remains central to the process.
Idris also urged the commission to make strong use of government-owned media platforms for continuous public education, promising that the ministry will deploy its communication tools to support nationwide advocacy in the interest of a credible headcount.
Earlier, National Population Commission Chairman, Dr. Aminu Yusuf, commended the Ministry of Information and National Orientation for its support, saying public mobilisation will be a key factor in how successful the census will be.
Yusuf said the commission is operationally prepared, adding that logistics, information and communication technology infrastructure, systems, and personnel are being continuously refined to support efficiency, transparency, and credibility once a new date is announced.
He also asked for continued access to government media platforms to deepen public understanding of census participation, civil registration, and vital statistics, emphasising that public trust is essential for effective population management in Nigeria.
