By peterside Rejoice
The Senate has intensified efforts to grant first-line charge status to the National Population Commission (NPC), declaring that the Commission’s mandate is more fundamental to national development than even that of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The position was taken on Wednesday during a budget defence session of the Senate Committee on National Population and National Identity Management Commission, where the Chairman of the NPC, Dr. Aminu Maida Yusuf, presented the Commission’s 2025 budget performance and projections for 2026.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Victor Umeh, disclosed that a constitutional amendment process is already underway to place the NPC on first-line charge, revealing that a bill to that effect has been sponsored.
Umeh argued that while Nigeria accords high priority and financial protection to INEC because of elections, it has failed to extend similar recognition to the institution responsible for maintaining the country’s demographic database.
“INEC is a subset of what the population commission represents. You respect INEC, but you do not respect the institution that knows the total population the number of women, elderly people, children and dependents. Governance begins with knowing your numbers,” he stated.
The senator likened the situation to that of a father who must first know the number of his children before planning adequately for their welfare. According to him, without credible and up-to-date population data, planning for education, healthcare, infrastructure, employment and security would remain fundamentally defective.
He urged influential lawmakers on the committee, including former governors, to mobilise broader legislative and executive support to secure sustainable funding for the Commission, particularly as preparations for a long-delayed national census remain stalled.
The push for funding protection followed alarming budget performance figures presented by the Commission.
Dr. Yusuf disclosed that the NPC was appropriated N36,211,622,208.00 in the 2025 fiscal year to cover capital, overhead and personnel costs. The allocation comprised N18.2 billion for capital projects, N1.17 billion for overheads and N16.76 billion for personnel.
However, capital expenditure recorded zero release, representing zero per cent performance.
Lawmakers expressed strong displeasure that despite the N18.2 billion earmarked for critical capital projects, particularly those tied to census preparations, not a single naira had been released.
“You got nothing. Of the N18 billion appropriated for capital projects in 2025, you received zero,” a visibly concerned committee member remarked during the session.
On overhead expenditure, N682.44 million was released out of N1.17 billion, translating to a 41.8 per cent performance rate.
Personnel costs, however, recorded 103 per cent performance. The sum of N17.33 billion was released through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, exceeding the N16.76 billion appropriation by over N506 million.
Responding to questions on the variance, Dr. Yusuf explained that personnel payments are processed centrally through the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, and that promotions as well as other statutory adjustments may have accounted for the increase.
The committee insisted that any expenditure beyond appropriated sums must strictly comply with National Assembly approval processes and be fully documented to ensure transparency and accountability.
The Senate reiterated that without credible and updated population data, Nigeria’s development planning will remain severely impaired. Lawmakers stressed that granting first-line charge status to the NPC would shield it from funding uncertainties, strengthen institutional stability and accelerate preparations for a long-awaited, technology-driven national census considered vital for effective governance and equitable resource allocation.
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