The new Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Dr. Aminu Yusuf has assumed office with a reform agenda that could redefine how Nigeria counts its people, plans its future, and manages its rapidly growing population.
Dr. Yusuf, who resumed duties at the Commission’s headquarters shortly after being sworn in by President Bola Tinubu, was received by the staff, management, and Federal Commissioners of the NPC.
From international development partners to senior bureaucrats and journalists, the audience listened as Nigeria’s new chief custodian of demographic data unveiled a bold, high-stakes blueprint for what he described as a national “reset” of population governance.
Fresh from his swearing-in by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Dr. Yusuf who is also the Talban Wushishi struck a solemn tone, framing his appointment not as a personal triumph but as a national burden of trust.
He unequivocal rebuild confidence in Nigeria’s population data, modernise demographic systems and deliver a census that is credible, digital, transparent and globally defensible.
He said; “This census will not just count people,” he declared. “It will shape policies, drive development and guide the destiny of our nation.”
Dr. Yusuf paid a glowing tribute to his predecessor, Nasir Isa Kwarra, crediting him with strengthening the institutional foundations of the Commission.
He noted that admiration for the past would not slow the aggressive pace of reforms ahead.
The new NPC chairman rolled out a Seven-Point Strategic Agenda, a roadmap that touches every nerve of Nigeria’s demographic architecture.
Dr. Yusuf said he will push to “rebuild public confidence in population data an area long plagued by controversy, suspicion and political tension.”
He also announced an expansive stakeholder engagement drive targeting state governments, traditional rulers, civil society, media, academia, religious institutions and global partners such as UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO.
Dr. Yusuf stated that “population governance is not a bureaucratic ritual, it is a national mission.”
“The most politically sensitive component of the agenda is the long-awaited population and housing census.” he noted.
Dr. Yusuf promised a census that would be fully digital, biometrically verified and globally compliant, from Enumeration Area Demarcation to Post-Enumeration Surveys.
“Every phase, will be subjected to tight quality controls and international best practices,” he said.
The New NPC Chairman also highlighted that “in a country where census figures shape federal allocations, political representation and economic planning, the stakes could not be higher.”
“This will be a census Nigerians can trust,” he said.
The NPC chairman also unveiled a massive overhaul of Nigeria’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system, targeting full nationwide digitisation.
With over 4,000 registration centres to be expanded and integrated with health institutions, NIMC and state governments, the aim is near-universal registration of births and deaths.
Beyond identity, he revealed plans to modernise Nigeria’s migration tracking system, giving the country accurate data on internal movements, cross-border flows, labour migration and population pressure information critical for security, employment planning and urban development.
Dr. Yusuf announced that the delayed NPC headquarters project will now be fast-tracked as a top operational priority.
State and local government offices would also undergo upgrades, alongside a nationwide ICT overhaul to meet global standards.
His targets an institution that looks, functions and delivers like a 21st-century data powerhouse.
Dr. Yusuf promised a revival of national surveys, strengthened research departments and tighter data integrity controls.
“No policy should be driven by guesswork again,” he declared, insisting that health, education, housing, migration, security and economic policies must rest on credible statistics.
Under his Strategic Population Management agenda, the Commission will generate detailed projections on fertility, mortality, urbanization and youth bulge trends.
These projections, he said, would directly shape the future of schools, hospitals, transport systems, housing, agriculture and national infrastructure.
He warned that Population must evolve from a neglected statistic into a central pillar of governance.
In a rare show of institutional honesty, Dr. Yusuf declared staff welfare non-negotiable saying “a motivated workforce is an asset. A neglected workforce is a liability we cannot afford.”
He promised merit-based career progression, continuous training, strict ethics enforcement and a work culture anchored on professionalism and accountability.
Turning from policy to public trust, the NPC chairman issued a firm guarantee to Nigerians: demographic data under his leadership will be transparent, scientifically sound and globally credible.
Integrity, accountability and international standards, he said, would not be slogans but measurable benchmarks.
Lateefah Ibrahim