National Population Commission Unveils Dates for Nigeria's First Census in Two Decades, Pledges Fully Digital Exercise.
The Federal Government has officially announced that Nigeria's long-overdue National Population and Housing Census will take place in November 2026. In a landmark press briefing today in Abuja, the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Isa Kwarra, confirmed that the crucial national exercise will be held from Monday, November 10th to Sunday, November 16th, 2026. This marks Nigeria's first census since 2006, a pivotal step towards addressing the data deficit that has challenged national planning for nearly two decades.
A cornerstone of the 2026 census will be its technology-driven approach. The NPC Chairman revealed that the commission is abandoning the old manual methods in favour of a fully digital process. Enumerators will be equipped with Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) for data capture, and satellite imagery will be used to ensure total coverage of all communities and settlements. This digital framework, Kwarra explained, is designed to enhance accuracy, ensure transparency, and deliver a credible and universally acceptable census outcome.
The significance of this exercise for Nigeria's development cannot be overstated. Accurate demographic data is the bedrock of effective governance, directly influencing the allocation of federal revenue, the delineation of political constituencies, and the strategic planning of critical infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and power facilities. For years, policymakers have operated with projected figures, a practice that the upcoming census aims to replace with concrete, verifiable data for evidence-based decision-making.
Reassuring the nation, the NPC Chairman affirmed the government's total commitment to providing the financial resources and security architecture needed for a seamless exercise. He issued a passionate call to all Nigerians, traditional rulers, and civil society groups to offer their full cooperation to census officials. "This is a national duty for a better-planned Nigeria," Kwarra stated. "Every single person residing within our borders counts, and we must work together to ensure that every person is counted."
I'm Adedayo Obadina
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