Groups Ask Federal Govt To Conduct Census Before 2027 Elections

A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs), Open Alliance, has called on the executive arm of government and the National Assembly to conduct a National Population and Housing Census ahead of the 2027 general elections.

They warned that continued reliance on outdated data poses risks to governance, fiscal planning and democratic representation.

The coalition expressed concern that nearly two decades after the last census in 2006, Nigeria continues to depend on projections rather than verified demographic data for national planning and resource allocation.

According to the coalition, Nigerians aged 18 years and below have never witnessed a credible population census, despite the country holding five general elections, experiencing multiple federal and state administrations and undergoing significant demographic changes since the return to democratic rule.

Open Alliance noted that the Presidency’s April 2025 announcement of a committee to lay the groundwork for a long-overdue census was initially welcomed as a step in the right direction. The committee, chaired by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, was mandated to submit an interim report within three weeks.

However, several months after the announcement, the group said there has been no publicly available report, clear timeline or policy direction emanating from the committee’s work, raising questions about the government’s commitment to addressing the country’s demographic data deficit.

The coalition also queried the consistency and adequacy of budgetary allocations for the exercise. It noted that N770 million was allocated in the 2026 capital expenditure proposal for the National Population and Housing Census. When broken down across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, the amount translates to approximately N20.8 million per subnational government.

Open Alliance described the allocation as raising “serious questions about adequacy, realism, and strategic intent,” particularly when compared with the N693.3 million earmarked for the 2024 census, which it said did not translate into concrete preparatory steps or measurable progress.

Commenting on the development, BudgIT’s Acting Country Director, Joseph Amenaghawon, stressed that a credible census is fundamental to effective governance. “Accurate demographic data informs fiscal transfers, constituency delineation, infrastructure planning, healthcare delivery, education policy, and social protection programmes. In the absence of reliable population data, public policy becomes guesswork, undermining efficiency, equity, and accountability in governance,” he said.