Effective Information, Paramount to Successful National Census, Says Idris

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the federal government is committed to delivering a credible, transparent, and internationally acceptable national census, anchored on effective public communication and inter-agency collaboration.

He affirmed this yesterday in Abuja while receiving the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Dr. Aminu Yusuf, who led a management delegation on a courtesy visit.

The minister described credible data as the foundation of national planning, stressing that without accurate population figures, effective development planning will be impossible.

He assured the ministry and its agencies, including the National Orientation Agency (NOA), would fully mobilise Nigerians and drive nationwide advocacy whenever the president proclaimed a census date.

He noted the Tinubu administration is committed to conducting a census that Nigerians and the international community can trust, adding the federal government is according priority to process, legality, and credibility over haste.

He reiterated the presidential proclamation remains the legal basis for the conduct of the census, assuring that President Bola Tinubu is carefully aligning all requirements to ensure the exercise meets global standards.

Idris also urged the NPC to continue leveraging government-owned media platforms for sustained public enlightenment, while assuring that the ministry will fully discharge its mandate of advocating government programmes and policies in the national interest.

Earlier, Yusuf commended the minister for the consistent support and leadership in public mobilisation efforts ahead of the postponed census.

He asserted the Commission is operationally ready, with systems, logistics, ICT infrastructure, and personnel continuously refined to guarantee efficiency, transparency, and credibility once a new census date is announced.

He also sought sustained access to government media platforms to deepen public understanding of census participation, civil registration, and vital statistics, describing public trust as central to the success of population management in Nigeria.