As Nigeria moves closer to conducting its next national census, the Federal Government has identified effective communication as a key pillar in ensuring a credible, transparent and internationally accepted population count.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made this known in Abuja on Wednesday while welcoming the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Dr. Aminu Yusuf, who led a management team on a courtesy visit.
Idris emphasised that sound national planning is impossible without accurate population data, cautioning that unreliable figures weaken development initiatives and policy implementation.
“Our census must be one Nigerians can trust and one the international community will accept,” the minister said, adding that the Tinubu administration is focused on credibility, legality and due process rather than rushing the census process.
He assured the NPC of the full support of his ministry and its agencies, including the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Voice of Nigeria (VON), and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), to mobilise citizens and promote nationwide awareness once the President officially announces a census date.
According to Idris, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is carefully putting in place all legal and procedural frameworks to ensure the census aligns with global best practices, noting that a presidential proclamation is the lawful trigger for conducting the exercise.
He encouraged the NPC to make greater use of government-owned media platforms for sustained public education, pledging that the ministry would fully activate its communication channels in the national interest.
Earlier, NPC Chairman Dr. Aminu Yusuf commended the Ministry of Information for its continued support, describing public mobilisation as essential to the success of the census.
He revealed that the commission remains operationally prepared, with logistics, ICT infrastructure, systems and personnel continuously improved to ensure efficiency, transparency and credibility once a new census date is declared.
Yusuf also appealed for continued access to government media platforms to enhance public understanding of census participation, civil registration and vital statistics, stressing that public confidence is crucial for effective population management in Nigeria.