CISON Urges Fresh Census as Nigeria Relies on Two-Decade-Old Population Count
CISON says Nigeria needs an updated population count to improve economic planning, public policy and the allocation of resources.
Nigeria’s continued reliance on population figures from 2006 is weakening the information available for national planning, according to the Chartered Institute of Statisticians of Nigeria.
CISON President Goodday Ebuh called on the Federal Government to prioritise a new census during a press briefing held in Abuja on Wednesday. He argued that estimates cannot adequately replace a current official headcount when authorities are making decisions about public services, economic priorities and the distribution of resources.
Ebuh said the absence of a new census for about 20 years has consequences for policy development because planners do not have an up-to-date count of the people their decisions are intended to serve. His comments placed the census question within a broader appeal for government institutions and private organisations to use professional statistics when making important decisions.
The institute also reported progress on a separate education proposal. According to Ebuh, the Federal Ministry of Education has committed to considering statistics as a secondary-school subject during the next curriculum review. CISON believes earlier exposure could help students become more comfortable with numbers and develop an interest in statistical learning.
The briefing also introduced activities marking CISON’s 50th anniversary and its third international conference. The programme will run in Abuja from October 12 to 16. A pre-conference workshop is scheduled for October 12 and 13, while the principal conference sessions are due to begin on October 14.
CISON said participants had submitted more than 70 technical papers for the event, which will accommodate both in-person and virtual attendance. A plenary discussion on the future of statistics in Nigeria is expected to bring together participants from the World Bank, Central Bank of Nigeria, National Bureau of Statistics, universities and the private sector.
The anniversary will also reflect the organisation’s institutional development. It began as the Nigerian Statistical Association in 1976, pursued statutory recognition for more than two decades and obtained an enabling law in 2022 before becoming fully chartered in 2023. The conference programme includes the induction of members, admission of fellows and recognition of selected individuals and institutions.