Reliable population data key to national development — Bagudu

2026-03-08 - 14:57

By Progress Godfrey Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has said reliable population data is critical to Nigeria’s national development, stressing that credible demographic information is essential for effective planning and policy making. According to a statement by the ministry on Sunday, Bagudu spoke during a familiarisation visit by the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Dr Aminu Yusuf, who led federal commissioners and senior officials of the commission to the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja. The minister said the administration of President Bola Tinubu recognises the strategic value of accurate population data in addressing Nigeria’s development challenges and shaping sound public policy. He noted that reliable demographic statistics are necessary for national planning, equitable resource distribution, and policies that respond to citizens’ needs. “If we truly want to solve Nigeria’s problems, we must be deliberate about understanding and organising our resources, especially our people,” Bagudu said. He added that development planning must be guided by accurate knowledge of where citizens live, their living conditions and the opportunities available within their communities. “There is no community in Nigeria without potential,” he said, adding that reliable population data will help strengthen fairness and transparency in Nigeria’s federal system by providing a credible basis for planning and allocation of public resources. In his remarks, NPC Chairman, Dr. Aminu Yusuf, said the visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration between the commission and the ministry in support of national planning. He said the commission is constitutionally mandated to generate accurate demographic data for national planning and sustainable development. According to him, the commission conducts population and housing censuses, coordinates the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system and produces population statistics for policy formulation. Yusuf disclosed that the commission is developing a modern, technology-based, integrated population data management system, including preparations for a credible population and housing census and the expansion and digitalisation of the civil registration system to ensure continuous registration of births and deaths. Vanguard News