President Bola Tinubu has turned down the National Population Commission’s (NPC) proposed N942bn budget for the upcoming national census, urging the use of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to reduce costs.

At a meeting with NPC officials on February 24, 2025, Tinubu expressed concerns over the high cost and emphasized the need for cost-cutting measures.

“The money they were proposing was quite much. It is around N942bn. That is almost N1tn. And the President felt that it was too much,” a source revealed.

Tinubu suggested forming a committee to review the budget and streamline resources. “I will set up a committee for you to look at the issues critically and do a source and application of resources,” Tinubu said.

He also emphasized the importance of accurate census data for planning key areas like employment, agriculture, and food security, while ensuring biometric capture is central to the process.

The census, delayed multiple times since 2006, faces logistical challenges, but Tinubu remains committed to proceeding, provided the cost is significantly reduced.