Reps Grill NPC Chair Over N4trn Revenue: Is Nigeria Ready for the Census?
the House of Reps recently had a heated session dissecting the NPC’s plans, budgets, and bold claims. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows.
First, let’s talk money because these figures are jaw-dropping. According to the NPC, a whopping ₦841.97 billion was earmarked for the 2023 census to cover pre-, actual, and post-enumeration activities. Fast-forward to the 2024 budget review and things got dicey.
The NPC reported that ₦1.1 billion had been released and utilized for capital expenditure, boasting a 97.38% performance. But hold on Lagos lawmaker Okey Onuakalusi wasn’t buying it. He grilled the NPC Chair for presenting “anticipatory funds” as performance data. Translation: numbers that don’t match reality.
Onuakalusi didn’t hold back:
“How are we sure this budget performance is legit? You can’t act on anticipatory funds and expect results!”
Oof. Tough crowd.
The NPC has proposed ₦18.28 billion for capital expenditure in 2025. Sounds promising, right? Well, not so fast. The breakdown raised eyebrows:
- ₦1.1 billion for the national census.
- ₦4 billion for official vehicles.
- ₦12 billion for permanent office buildings.
- ₦350 million for registration centres and related activities.
Let’s not forget the ₦90 million earmarked for World Population Day celebrations and ₦35 million for migration stats. While these plans sound ambitious, lawmakers weren’t impressed, calling the capital expenditure “abysmally low” compared to the scope of the task.
So, is the NPC ready to pull off the census? According to NPC Chair Nasiru Kwara, the commission was 80% prepared for the 2023 census before it got shelved due to—you guessed it—political transitions and other “exigencies.”
Kwara admitted that the commission lost its chance under the 2020 census guidelines and now has to adjust to new rules for the 2030 round. In plain English, they’re starting over and aiming for 2026.
Here’s the tea: Nigeria hasn’t had a census in 17 years, and everyone agrees it’s long overdue. However, with budget dramas, accountability issues, and shifting timelines, the question is whether the NPC can deliver now.
Lawmakers demand transparency, Nigerians want results, and the clock is ticking. Whether the 2026 census will finally happen or just be another line item on a bloated budget—remains to be seen.
