The Federal Government has allocated N12.78 billion to the National Population Commission (NPC) in its proposed 2026 budget for census-related activities, construction of permanent office buildings and the procurement of official vehicles.
Details of the allocation are contained in the 2026 Appropriation Bill released on Thursday by the Budget Office of the Federation. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier, on December 19, 2025, presented the N58.18 trillion budget proposal to a joint session of the National Assembly.
Breakdown of the NPC Budget
According to budget estimates sighted by Sunday PUNCH, the allocations to the NPC include:
- N770 million for the ongoing National Population and Housing Census project
- N8.4 billion for the construction of permanent office buildings for the commission
- N2.8 billion for the purchase of official vehicles for federal commissioners
Other key allocations include:
- N54.6 million for the development of the National Population Data Bank, the Nigerian Population Database Management System, and hosting of population geo-portals
- N173.11 million for census publicity and advocacy, including media information campaigns
- N245 million for the expansion of registration centres and registration of births and deaths
- N49 million for the amendment of the NPC Act and prosecution of objections to the 2006 census results
Several technical and preparatory activities also received funding, including enumeration area demarcation, staff training, stakeholder conferences, data collection pretests, demographic research, cartographic consumables, and monitoring and evaluation of commission projects.
Census Delays and Ongoing Challenges
Nigeria last conducted a national population census in November 2006, recording a population of 140,431,790. Nearly two decades later, the country has yet to complete preparations for another count.
The planned census suffered repeated setbacks under former President Muhammadu Buhari, largely due to funding challenges, insecurity, and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the NPC introduced digital mapping and biometric systems to improve accuracy, the exercise was postponed several times.
The proposed 2023 census was eventually shelved due to financial constraints and the transition to a new administration, leaving much of the preparatory work incomplete.
Tinubu Demands Clear Roadmap
Since assuming office, President Tinubu has made efforts to revive the census project but has expressed concern over the lack of progress. During a meeting with NPC officials on February 24, 2025, he criticised the prolonged delays, insisting on a clear and realistic plan.
“This stop-and-go activity on the census cannot work with me. So we’d better have a definite path,” the President said.
In March, reports indicated that a proposed N942 billion census budget submitted by the former NPC chairman was rejected by the President, who called for significant cost reductions. He also suggested the possible deployment of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to support the exercise.
Renewed Commitments
Following the inauguration of a high-level committee in April to review the census framework, the newly appointed NPC Chairman, Aminu Yusuf, has pledged to deliver a modern, credible and technology-driven national census that will provide a reliable foundation for Nigeria’s development planning.
Despite the renewed commitments, key questions remain around the timing, methodology and enumeration of Nigeria’s large mobile and displaced populations.
