World Population Day: Kwankwaso Decries Two-Decade Delay in National Census
…Urges FG to Conduct Population, Housing Count Without Delay
Vice presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has decried the 20-year delay in conducting a national census, urging the Federal Government to carry out a Population and Housing Census without further delay.
Kwankwaso made the call to mark the 2026 World Population Day on Saturday, July 11, reiterating that Nigeria has not conducted a national Population and Housing Census in two decades.
ThelensNG reports that this year’s World Population Day is themed, “Realising the hopes and aspirations of young people — today and for the future.”
According to the United Nations (UN), the theme is centred on a new report based on one of the largest global surveys of its kind, capturing the views of more than 108,000 internet-connected young adults aged 18 to 39 across 73 countries.
“The last exercise, held in 2006, has left us relying on outdated population figures for critical national decisions on education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, employment, and resource allocation,” Kwankwaso lamented.
He noted that the data vacuum undermines effective planning and equitable development, stressing that accurate, up-to-date population statistics are the bedrock of good governance, national security, sustainable development, and inclusive growth.
The former Kano State governor maintained that Nigeria cannot continue to shape the future of an estimated 200 million people using what he described as “statistics frozen in time.”
“On this World Population Day, I strongly urge the Federal Government to prioritise and conduct a credible, transparent, and technology-driven national Population and Housing Census without further delay,” he said.
He added that the time for excuses is over and that the time to act is now.
