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Census’ Further Delay Amounts To Waste Of Resources

Published

1 year ago

September 26, 2024

By Joel Ajayi

One year six Months into the government of “Renewed Hope“ coordinated by President Bola Tinubu has yet to announce a date for Nigeria’s long overdue, long-awaited National Population and Housing Census, which many believe is paramount to better national planning and exceptional governance.

The delay comes after former President Muhammadu Buhari postponed the 2023 census indefinitely, leaving the responsibility of setting a new date to his successor.

Despite pledging support for the census, Tinubu has yet to confirm when the exercise will take place, leaving key stakeholders anxious about the impact of further delays.

The last census in Nigeria was conducted in 2006, recording a population of 140 million. Since then, the country has relied on estimated figures for policy decisions, which has left many concerned about data accuracy for resource allocation and representation.

A year after taking over power, Tinubu is yet to announce a date for the exercise. Nigerians who know the importance of the census are bothered by the delay in the announcement of the new date. They are more worried that no provision was made for it in the N27.5 trillion 2024 federal budget.

Stakeholders in the number frowned at the delay in conducting the much-awaited census while many tag the delay as a waste of resources

Furthermore, information in the public domain shows that before the rescheduling, the National Population Commission had concluded the implementation of all the necessary preparatory activities. They include the Enumeration Area Demarcation, conduct of pre-test and trial census, recruitment and training of census field staff, procurement and configuration of Personal Digital Assistants, and the establishment of Information and Communication Technology infrastructure across the country.

According to the NPC, all the processes of the census are going to be technology-driven. As the enumerators are getting information in the field using the PDA, it would be transmitted automatically from the system to the server.

The use of technology would make the fresh census more credible, transparent, and acceptable than previous censuses conducted in the country.

The Commission equally conducted robust advocacy and publicity campaigns across the country, to sensitize Nigerians to the exercise. They were in the process of recruiting enumerators when the immediate-past administration rescheduled the exercise. Given that Tinubu promised during the campaigns to continue where Buhari stopped, many Nigerians, including this writer, thought that the census would be handled with a sense of urgency, considering its immense benefits to the country. So far, our expectations on the exercise have not been met.

Conducting a census is a capital-intensive exercise. There is no doubt about that. The United States Agency for International Development described the census as “the most expensive data collection activity a country can undertake, involving thousands of workers and millions of dollars of cost.”

The process of conducting a census involves many events and stages. However, in considering the cost and the rigour, we should also look at the numerous benefits.

The census is the spine of the national statistical system. For example, development planners need population information for all kinds of development work, including assessing demographic trends and analyzing socio-economic trends and economic conditions. Similarly, data generated from the exercise are vital to budgeting and the implementation, monitoring, as well as evaluation of the effectiveness of government programs and policies, including immunization and Universal Basic Education programs

Likewise, census data could be used for tracking the progress towards national and internationally agreed development plans, such as the Sustainable Development Goals, designing evidence-based poverty reduction strategies, and empowering local communities with information to enable them to participate in decision-making. In the political sphere, census data are used for the creation of federal and state constituencies to enhance effective representation in government.

Nigeria practices representative democracy and the constitution makes population a prerequisite for the creation of federal and state constituencies, which constitutes a critical basis of representation in the country.

The Senate and House of Representatives have passed resolutions, asking the Independent National Electoral Commission to carry out its mandate of creating new federal constituencies in line with Section 73 (1) of the 1999 Constitution. The electoral umpire has often used the prolonged non-conduct of population census as an excuse for refusing to do so.

In addition, data generated from a census could be used for academic research and feasibility studies by research and development departments of companies and corporate organizations, for promotions, programs, and projects. These are to mention but a few. Regrettably, Nigeria, the widely acclaimed “Giant of Africa” has been deprived of these benefits for almost two decades, as a result of its inability to conduct the census. The last population enumeration in the country took place in 2006. Since then, Nigeria has been planning based on population estimates and projections, using outdated data. We should also not lose sight of the fact that the last census was marred by controversies like the previous ones.

By international convention, a census exercise should be held in a country at least once every 10 years. The United Nations recommends at least once every five years to guarantee better and more current data. Nigeria held its last census 18 years ago.

Going by the UN recommendation, Nigeria ought to have held at least three censuses and should be preparing for the fourth one by now. We are, however, lagging behind our peers.

However, NPC proposed November 2024 for the census but is still awaiting presidential approval.

Experts on Friday warned that further delays could waste resources and impede critical national planning.

According to the information from NPC, the commission is “99 percent ready” to carry out the census.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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