The Senate has called for urgent conduct of national population census for easy planning and development of the country.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Population, Senator Victor Umeh, made the call in a message at the official launch of the 2025 State of the World Population Report, held in Abuja on Tuesday.

Umeh frowned that in Nigeria today, nobody knows the actual population figure, noting that Nigeria’s is based on estimates and projections.

“Today, nobody knows the actual population of Nigeria. We are just using estimates. Some people say we are 200 million people, others say we are 220 million people, while some others say, we are about 230 people.

“These are projections. And that is why there is no alternative to having a national census,” he said.

Umeh said there is the need for the conduct of national population census in the country, so that planning can be done based on precision.

He disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as members of the national assembly are committed to ensuring that Nigeria has a credible census, very soon.

The lawmaker noted that as we observe World Population Day,, the true fertility challenge—not simply the global decline in birth rates, but the deeper issue of reproductive health agency.

“This means empowering individuals, especially women, with the freedom and knowledge to make informed decisions about their reproductive lives.

Declining fertility rates are not just numbers; they reflect remarkable progress in reproductive health.

 Improved access to contraception, greater educational opportunities, and expanded career options have given women the power to choose when and whether to have children.

 Women today are deciding to delay childbirth, have fewer children, or even forgo parenthood—not out of necessity, but because they have the agency to shape their own futures.,” he said.

Earlier in his opening remark, the chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Hon. Nasir Isah Kwarra explained that the report reminds Nigerians that the real crisis is not simply whether people are having fewer or more children.

Kwarra stated that the National Population Commission, as the lead agency for population matters in Nigeria, remains fully committed to generating reliable data—including through the conduct of a credible and inclusive Population and Housing Census that informs policies and programmes which are people-centered, inclusive, and rights-based.