President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has inaugurated a committee to oversee preparations for the upcoming national population and housing census. According to a statement released on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the committee is expected to present an interim report within three weeks. Represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the inauguration ceremony held at the State House in Abuja, Tinubu emphasized the importance of the census for national development, precise planning, and informed decision-making in sectors such as healthcare, education, security, and the economy. He highlighted the need for a technology-driven approach to ensure credible and verifiable results, while also calling for strong collaboration among relevant agencies and stakeholders. Addressing the issue of funding, the President encouraged committee members to explore both domestic and international sources of financing. “Work with all relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning. This ministry has to take charge of this because you cannot budget if you do not know how many of us there are. “We expect you will touch on the technology area because the census must be technology-driven. Things have changed since the last time that we conducted this exercise. The enumeration has to be technology-driven with biometrics and digitalisation,” he said. Senator Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning and chair of the Presidential Committee on Population and Housing Census, assured the President that the committee would meet its three-week deadline for delivering the report. Bagudu recalled President Tinubu’s advice to ministers during their 2003 retreat, urging them to think creatively and work within available resources, even in challenging economic times. He pointed out that despite global economic difficulties, Nigeria is making steady progress under President Tinubu’s leadership, highlighting improvements in foreign exchange stability and a positive growth outlook. He added that the committee will propose practical solutions, including strategies for mobilizing both domestic and international resources to finance the census. Meanwhile, Minister of Information and committee member, Muhammed Idris, emphasized that accurate data is crucial for effective planning across all sectors, noting that a credible census is essential for providing such data.