Fatimah Otunsanya
The Federal Government has allocated N12.78bn to the National Population Commission in its proposed 2026 budget for census activities, construction of permanent office buildings, and vehicle procurement.
This is contained in the 2026 Appropriation Bill released on Thursday by the Budget Office of the Federation.
President Bola Tinubu had on December 19, 2025, presented the budget estimate totalling N58.18tn to a joint session of the National Assembly.
According to the budget estimates a sum of N770m is allocated for the ongoing National Population and Housing Census project, while N8.4bn is earmarked for the construction of permanent office buildings for the commission.
The purchase of official vehicles for federal commissioners is allocated N2.8bn.
The development of the National Population Data Bank, the Nigerian Population Database Management System, and the hosting of the population geo-portal and web portal are to receive N54.6m.
Preparation of the Enumeration Area Demarcation concept manual will cost N1.89m, while N17.5m is planned for the conduct of a second pretest.
Stakeholder conferences to present the 2018 census instruments are budgeted at N7m, while upskilling staff in data collection and interviewing techniques will cost N14m.
Census in schools is allocated N7m, while the development of a small-area or enumeration-area-level database for spatial analysis and dissemination is set to receive N1.82m.
Field demarcation in 774 local government areas is budgeted at N1.4m.
Inter-censal population activities including population projections, sentinel surveys, and the Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey as well as the development of small-area-level databases for analysis, have been allocated N12.39m.
Census publicity and advocacy, including information campaigns through print and electronic media, are budgeted at N173.11m.
Monitoring and evaluation of commission projects will cost N28m, while research, documentation, and archiving; including studies on special populations such as herdsmen, fishermen, homeless persons, and migrant farmers are also budgeted at N28m.
Cartographic consumables for the enumeration area demarcation exercise are allocated N1.61m.
Amendment of the NPC Act and prosecution of objections to the 2006 census results will cost N49m.
Expansion of registration centres and the registration of births and deaths are allocated N245m, while the generation of statistics on internal and international migration is budgeted at N24.5m. Population activity coordination in line with presidential directives will also cost N24.5m.
Additionally, specialised studies in demography, establishment of an e-library, and an annual population lecture series are budgeted at N35m, while the commemoration of World Population Day and the Annual Population Census Day is allocated N63m.
Budget preparation, verification of fixed assets, and the updating of financial documentation in line with IPSAS accrual accounting standards will cost N35m.
Nigeria last conducted a national census in November 2006, recording a population of 140,431,790.
Nearly 20 years later, the country is still struggling to complete preparations for a new count.
The planned census faced several setbacks under former President Muhammadu Buhari, including funding shortages, insecurity, and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recall, the 2023 census was eventually shelved due to financial constraints and the transition to a new administration, leaving much of the groundwork incomplete as Buhari exited office.
Under President Bola Tinubu, renewed attempts to revive the project have faced further challenges.
There is still no clear roadmap on the timing, methodology, or how to enumerate Nigeria’s large mobile populations, including internally displaced persons.
During a meeting with NPC officials on February 24, 2025, Tinubu expressed displeasure over the prolonged delays.
Recently, the newly appointed NPC Chairman, Aminu Yusuf, pledged to conduct a modern, credible, and technology-driven national census that would serve as a reliable foundation for Nigeria’s development planning.