WorldPop Senior Research Fellow and Head of Spatial Statistics and Population Modelling (SSPM), Dr Chris Nnanatu recently completed a scoping visit to Nigeria as part of preparations for a new collaborative initiative focused on enhancing the country’s population data systems. The visit brought together key national and international partners working across population statistics, public health, and academic research.
Meetings were held with Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, Statistician General, National Bureau of Statistics (pictured centre) as well as leadership and technical teams from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Nigeria, National Population Commission (NPC), National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), creating space for technical discussions and shared planning. These conversations helped establish a common understanding of priorities and confirmed strong alignment on both the goals and the methods of the planned work.
The forthcoming project will focus on advancing geospatial modelling and integrating newer analytical approaches, including AI-driven techniques, into census processes. By combining traditional data collection with innovative modelling, the aim is to have national population and housing census that is more complete, accurate, and timely. This is particularly important in contexts where certain populations are difficult to reach or may be underrepresented in conventional data systems.
Reliable population data underpins effective policy decisions, from healthcare planning to infrastructure development. Improving how this data is generated helps ensure that resources can be allocated more fairly and that all communities are visible in national statistics.
This initial visit has laid important groundwork for the next phase of collaboration. With a project inception meeting planned later this month, partners are now positioned to move forward with a shared technical vision and a clear focus on strengthening population data for Nigeria.
