The National Population Commission (NPC) and the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) are set to deepen collaboration to boost grassroots participation in Nigeria’s electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (e-CRVS) system and ensure a successful national population and housing census.
This development emerged on Wednesday as NPC Chairman, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, hosted the NCWS National President, Princess Edna Azura, and her delegation at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
In his address, Hon. Kwarra described the partnership with NCWS as longstanding and essential, particularly for mobilising communities and raising awareness at the grassroots. “Together with NCWS, we can achieve our national data objectives, especially in ensuring the success of the e-CRVS and the next census,” he said.
He acknowledged the pivotal role women play in the process and urged NCWS to intensify awareness campaigns among rural women to encourage timely birth registration. He added that the Commission is already working with UNICEF to improve birth registration across Nigeria.
Commenting on the much-anticipated population census, which has been delayed for nearly a decade, Hon. Kwarra assured the delegation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s firm commitment to its timely execution. He also highlighted the Commission’s efforts in generating accurate and up-to-date statistics through national sample surveys such as the ongoing Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey.
Providing fresh insights into Nigeria’s demographic trends, the NPC Chairman shared findings from the recent Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), which show a drop in the country’s Total Fertility Rate from 5.3 to 4.8 children per woman. He emphasized that increased female education often correlates with smaller family sizes, underlining the need to invest in girls’ empowerment.
In her remarks, NCWS President Princess Azura praised the NPC for its achievements, especially the digital transformation of the civil registration system and the successful launch of the 2025 State of World Population (SWOP) Report in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
She reaffirmed the Council’s readiness to support the NPC’s agenda and underscored the importance of ensuring that every woman in Nigeria is counted in the next census. “NCWS is the voice of Nigerian women, and we are committed to this partnership for the progress of our nation,” she stated.
The meeting ended with a tribute by Hon. Kwarra to the late Hajiya Lami Adamu Lau, former NCWS President, whose legacy continues to inspire the organization. He also extended appreciation to the NCWS delegation for their visit and commitment to national development.
