Tony Elumelu: Forthcoming population census must be credible, devoid of controversies

Tony Elumelu, chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, says the forthcoming national population census must be credible and devoid of controversies.

Nigerian plans to conduct its population count from March 29 to April 2, 2023.

Speaking at a high-level donor engagement on the census in Abuja on Monday, Elumelu said the outcome of the exercise must be “credible, acceptable, and does not lead to any further controversies”.

The entrepreneur also said data from the census would go a long way in affecting key decisions for major stakeholders in the country.

Calling for the use of technology to avoid errors, he stressed that the exercise must meet the criteria of being credible, transparent, verifiable, accessible, and universal coverage.

“For me, this task is critical to our country’s future: if we do not know our population, we cannot properly plot our developmental path, our economic growth, and our society’s goals,” Elumelu said.

“Credible demographic data is of profound importance for the public and private sectors alike. We all know we live in a data-driven world.

“As a private sector leader with investments in key sectors of the Nigerian economy through the Heirs Holdings Group, Transcorp Group, United Bank for Africa Group, and with the work we do at the Tony Elumelu Foundation in empowering thousands of young entrepreneurs and building the entrepreneurial capacity on the continent.

“I understand first-hand, the value and importance of available, accessible, and accurate data in making informed decisions, driving development, and creating opportunities.

“The upcoming census is a significant milestone in Nigeria’s development, as it provides an opportunity to collect accurate and reliable data on the country’s population and housing, which will serve as a vital tool for policymakers, private sector actors, and civil society organisations.

“The census will affect how we allocate resources in Nigeria and so many other important decisions, so it is important that the process is credible and above board.”

NEED FOR COLLABORATION 

Elumelu who also emphasized the need for stakeholders to ensure the success of the exercise, called for support from both private and public organisations.

He said the government’s decision to collaborate with these critical stakeholders in the census is a positive step towards achieving a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of our nation’s demographics.

“We the Nigerian philanthropic organisations and private sector are ready to support and complement the efforts of the Nigerian government in this most important exercise,” the entrepreneur said.

“We believe that by working together, we can achieve our shared goal of obtaining high-quality data that will inform evidence-based decision-making and positively impact our nation’s development.

“Nigeria is our home, and it’s our duty to continually contribute to the sustainable development of the country not just for ourselves, but also for the future generations yet to come.”

‘NPC MUST LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY TO AVOID CONTROVERSIES’

Making a reference to the just concluded presidential elections, the UBA chairman said technology must be used.

According to Elumelu, the government must learn from the lapses experienced in the elections and ensure that the lessons are exploited.

“Africa is a technology leader and we need to embrace and use technology,” he said.

“Our country just concluded a huge logistical exercise in the form of the national elections.

“We are about to embark on an even larger exercise, the census. We must therefore be quick learners and ensure that the lessons learnt from the elections are channelled into the data collection process.

“To repeat, it is important that the census outcome is credible, acceptable, and does not lead to any further controversies.

“I urge the National Population Commission to leverage technology as much as possible to reduce human errors and demonstrate transparency and credibility.

“Nigeria must show that it is progressive, fair, equitable, and development focused.”