The National Population Commission (NPC) of Nigeria was established by the federal government in 1988.

It has the statutory powers to collect, analyze and disseminate population/demographic data in the country. It is also mandated to undertake demographic sample surveys, compile, collate and publish migration and civil registration statistics as well as monitor the country’s Population Policy.

The Commission was reconstituted in 2001 with a Chairman and 37 members representing each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. The Commission has a network of offices covering all the administrative tiers of the country: Federal, State and Local Government Areas (LGAs).

Founding Laws

The National Population Commission is established by S. 153 of the 1999 Constitution.

The Third Schedule, Part 1 in J S:23 sets out the composition of the Commission as follows:-
S.23. The National Population Commission shall comprise the following members

• A Chairman and
• One person from each State of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja .

Section 24 also in the Third Schedule provides for the functions as follows:-
The commission shall have power to:-

• Undertake periodic enumeration of population through sample survey, Censuses or otherwise.
• Establish and maintain machinery for continuous and universal registration of births and deaths through out the federation.
• Advise the President on Population matters;
• Publish and provide information data on population for the purpose of facilitating economic and development planning; and
• Appointment and train or arrange for the appointment and training of enumerators or other staff of the Commission.

The 1999 Constitution repeated the provision of the 1979 Constitution except for the membership of the Commission which is now enlarged to “one member from each state of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.” By virtue of these same provisions in the 1979 Constitution an Act was promulgated in 1989 to provide for the establishment of the National Population Commission as well as provide for the functions of the Commission. The national Population Act No.23 of 1989 can be found in Volume 11 of the new and revised laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

The National Population Commission Act has two amendments.

1 No.31 of this amendment amongst other things provides for the appointment of a Director-General, and other principal Officer of the Commission, it also establishes the Census Tribunal.

2. No.16 of 1999, this amendment makes the Director –General the accounting officer.

The Principle Act and all its subsidiary legislations are currently undergoing amendment with a view to harmonizing them into one legislation. In the next few months a new principal Act will be promulgated for the National Population Commission.

Functions

The National Population Commission is the agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria responsible for carrying out periodic censuses and producing population figures for Nigeria.

Organization of National Population Commission

The Commission is divided into 8 Departments and 4 units. These are:

Units

Legal Unit
Commissioners Secretariat
Internal Audit Unit
Federal Unit

Departments

Planning and Research
Finance and Accounts
Cartography
Information Technology
Vital Registration
Census
Administration
Public Affairs