Tracka raises alarm over “ghost census” after N129.5bn disbursement

A fresh controversy has erupted over Nigeria’s long-delayed 2023 Population and Housing Census after civic accountability organisation Tracka revealed that at least N129.5 billion was disbursed for the exercise without any published results, raising serious questions about transparency, public finance management, and national planning.

In a strongly worded statement signed by Misturah Owolabi, Head of Communications at BudgIT Foundation, the organisation said the spending uncovered through its tracking of public expenditure records shows that billions of naira were paid to contractors and service providers between February 2022 and December 2023 for census-related activities that were ultimately suspended.

Nigeria last conducted a credible census in 2006, leaving Africa’s most populous country dependent on projections nearly two decades old for decisions on education, healthcare, infrastructure, security, revenue allocation, and electoral representation.

Tracka described the situation as “not a minor administrative inconvenience but a governance crisis.”

Billions spent on equipment, logistics

According to the group’s findings, the largest share of the funds — about N118.38 billion — went to the procurement of Personal Digital Assistants and related accessories intended for digital data collection during enumeration.

Other reported disbursements include N2.47 billion for Hilux vehicles, N499.8 million for power banks, and N106.19 million for an electronic recruitment portal.

Despite the scale of mobilisation, the census was announced, partially rolled out, and later suspended without any official population figures released to the public.

Tracka said the absence of results despite massive spending raises fundamental accountability concerns.

FOI request ignored

Seeking clarification, the organisation said it formally wrote to the National Population Commission (NPC) on February 19, 2026, invoking the Freedom of Information Act to demand a full account of funds released for the census, including beneficiaries, deliverables, project status, audit reports, and revised timelines.

The letter, referenced TRK/FOI/NPC/001, was acknowledged by the office of the NPC Chairman on March 2, 2026. However, more than three weeks later, Tracka said no substantive response had been received.

Under Nigeria’s FOI Act (2011), public institutions are required to respond within seven days.

“The National Population Commission is now in clear violation of Nigerian law,” the statement said.

“Governance by guesswork”

Tracka warned that the absence of an accurate census has severe real-world consequences beyond statistics.

Joshua Osiyemi, Head of Tracka, said government planning across critical sectors is being driven by outdated assumptions rather than reliable data.

Without credible population figures, he noted, schools become overcrowded, hospitals remain under-resourced, social intervention programmes miss vulnerable citizens, and federal allocations risk deepening regional inequalities.

Electoral representation and constituency delineation also continue to rely on 2006 figures, raising concerns about fairness within Nigeria’s democratic system.

“An accurate census is the foundation upon which every serious development decision is built,” Osiyemi said, warning that the country is effectively planning “in the dark.”

Calls for investigation

The organisation urged anti-corruption agencies and lawmakers to intervene, arguing that the scale of spending without visible outcomes warrants urgent scrutiny.

It called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the disbursement and utilisation of the funds, while urging the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission to examine the procurement processes behind the contracts.

Tracka also asked the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committees to summon the National Population Commission to a public hearing.

“Nigerians deserve to hear these answers in public,” the group said.

Trust at stake

Describing the suspended census as symbolic of a broader governance problem, Tracka warned that continued silence from authorities could erode public confidence in state institutions.

The organisation said a credible headcount is essential for effective development planning and equitable distribution of resources in a country facing rapid population growth and mounting socio-economic pressures.

“Nigeria cannot plan its future without knowing its people,” the statement concluded. “And Nigerians cannot trust their government without knowing where their money went.”

Tracka pledged to continue tracking the issue and publishing its findings until full accountability is achieved.