The National Population Commission (NPC) says it is leveraging digital technology to conduct a more credible, transparent and accurate national population and housing census.
The Commission urged Nigerians to embrace its online birth and death registration platform to strengthen the country’s vital statistics and identity management system.
The Federal Commissioner representing Kwara State, North Central Nigeria at the NPC, Dr. Yahaya Isiaka Alada, disclosed this during an interview with journalists in Ilorin, stressing that “the commission is leveraging technology to eliminate manipulation in census data collection and improve demographic information for national planning.”
According to him, “the commission has already completed the digital demarcation of enumeration areas across the 774 local government areas, mapped buildings nationwide and procured digital devices that will be deployed whenever the Federal Government approves the next census.”
He said the next exercise would be conducted with Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and could also incorporate biometric technology to further enhance the credibility of the data collected.
“The commission is going to adopt technology to ensure there will be no manipulation whatsoever in the conduct of the census,” Alada said.
He explained that the digital devices are programmed to function only within designated enumeration areas and contain built-in validation systems capable of detecting inconsistent entries, making it difficult to inflate figures or create fictitious households.
Alada further said that the commission had already geo-referenced buildings across the country, providing a reliable database that would significantly improve the integrity of the next census.
Beyond preparations for the census, the Commissioner urged Nigerians to take advantage of the commission’s digital birth and death registration platform, noting that “citizens can now apply online for birth certificates and print approved certificates electronically.”
He described birth registration as a critical legal document that provides children with official identity and facilitates access to education, passports and other essential government services.
“The commission has digitalised birth and death registration. Citizens can now apply online, answer the required questions and print approved birth certificates electronically. This has brought birth registration closer to the people,” he said.
Alada noted that while online registration has simplified access to the service, the c6ommission still operates thousands of physical registration centres across the country.
He said Kwara State has 92 registration centres, while about 8,000 are spread nationwide, stressing that birth registration remains free for children between birth and five years of age.
He also said that the Nigerian Government is working towards integrating demographic data generated by the NPC with those of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the Nigeria Immigration Service, banks and other institutions to eliminate duplication and improve public service delivery.
According to him, “seamless data sharing among government agencies would strengthen national planning and reduce inefficiencies associated with maintaining multiple databases.”
Speaking on the delayed national census, Alada recalled that Nigeria last conducted a population census in 2006, while preparations for another exercise scheduled for May 2023 had reached an advanced stage before it was postponed.
He said “the commission had completed nationwide enumeration area demarcation, recruited and trained over one million ad hoc personnel and procured digital equipment before the exercise was suspended for political considerations.”
Although only the President can approve the conduct of the census, Alada said it was unlikely to take place before the 2027 general elections because of the sensitive nature of both exercises.
“Census is as controversial as elections. You do not want to conduct the two around the same period. I am optimistic that the census will most likely be held after the 2027 elections, perhaps in 2028,” he said.
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