The National Population Commission (NPC) has strongly denied reports claiming that Nigeria’s long-delayed Population and Housing Census will be held in 2025, emphasizing that no official date has been set for the event.
The controversy began following comments made by NPC Chairman, Nasir Kwarra, during a media interaction at the 2024 anniversary of the Nairobi Summit on the International Conference on Population and Development, which was held in Abuja on Thursday.
Kwarra had highlighted the persistent data gaps in Nigeria, stressing the importance of a reliable and accurate census for effective decision-making.
While Kwarra expressed hope that the census would take place soon, the NPC swiftly distanced itself from the speculation, releasing a statement on Friday through its Acting Director of Public Affairs, Erelu Taibat Yemi Oloruntoba.
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The statement called the report “misleading” and clarified that Kwarra’s comments had been taken out of context.
“The attention of the National Population Commission has been drawn to misleading reports circulating online, which falsely suggest that the Chairman, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, has announced that the next Population and Housing Census in Nigeria will take place in 2025,” the statement read.
Oloruntoba reiterated that the commission had not made any official announcement regarding the census date.
“To put the record straight, during a media interaction at the 30th Anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Abuja, the NPC Chairman addressed the pressing issue of significant data gaps in Nigeria that impede the tailoring of reproductive health services and interventions to specific demographic groups,” the statement added.
The commission also emphasized that while it is constitutionally mandated to conduct censuses, the power to set the census date lies solely with the President of Nigeria. As a result, any official announcement regarding the date will come from the presidency.
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In light of previous delays, particularly the postponement of the census planned for 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, the NPC has been in talks with the current administration to finalize the timing.
The commission reassured the public that it is actively engaged in preparatory work for the census.
“We urge the public to seek verified information from official NPC channels rather than relying on unsubstantiated claims,” the statement concluded, urging caution in the face of online misinformation.
Nigeria has not conducted a population census since 2006, despite the United Nations’ recommendation that countries hold such censuses every ten years.
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