By Dianabasi Effiong
The Tinubu Stakeholders Forum (TSF) says it is convinced that the next census in Nigeria will provide a more accurate population figure due to new measures introduced by the Bola Tinubu administration.
According to the group, the expected accuracy will benefit from the President’s insistence on technology-based voice recognition and facial identification.
The TSF made this known in a statement by its Chairman Ahmad Sajoh, adding that the measure would eliminate inefficiencies in the forthcoming exercise.
“For the first time in Nigeria’s history, the country is on the path to conducting a truly accurate and reliable population census following President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive to streamline the census process, eliminate past inefficiencies, and integrate biometric and digital technology.
“This, for us, marks a bold departure from the outdated methods that have undermined previous exercises.
“The importance of this initiative cannot be overstated. In a country of over 220 million people, the absence of credible population data has crippled policy implementation, resource allocation, and economic planning for decades,” the TSF added
It further stated that the President’s insistence on precise enumeration and his resolve to align the process with financial realities signaled a commitment to governance based on facts rather than estimates.
“In essence, the era of proxy enumeration is over. Beyond numbers, this exercise will define how Nigeria plans for its future. With reliable data, economic policies, social programs, and security strategies will no longer rely on guesswork.
“It is also noteworthy that President Tinubu also highlighted a direct link between an accurate census and more effective government interventions, including targeted distribution of fertilizers and farm inputs, ensuring that agricultural policies are designed with real population figures in mind.
“We also hope that the exercise will be conducted before the next election to provide a strong foundation for governance in the years ahead,” the group stated.
The TSF also urged stakeholders to embrace the opportunity of an exercise that will go beyond being a headcount to defining a strategic baseline for national policies.