In economic planning, the contribution of the National Population Commission is to help with the data of the citizens in the country in order to ensure effective planning of an economy that has the interest of its people in mind.

What is Economic Planning?

Economic planning is the decision-making process involved in the allocation of resources by the government for the growth of the country and the convenience of its citizens. Planning plays a vital role in the production, management, and utilization of resources in the society.

Economic planning includes the needs of the citizens for the development of the country’s political, social, and economic aspects of life. It explains the strategies set up for the control and allocation of the economy by the governments or ruling authorities of a country. The purpose of economic planning is to achieve a set of targets and goals within a specific period. It covers every area of society that needs development like housing, food, security, water supply, health care, and education.

Prioritizing a proper economic plan will help in solving the problems of poverty, high inflation, reduced unemployment, high cost of living, low levels of savings, inequalities in income distributions, and bad infrastructural facilities.

One of the effective ways set aside for proper economic planning is the National Population Commission. NPC had existed since 1981 but was dissolved during the military takeover in 1983 and the suspension of the 1979 constitution. In 1989, the National Population Council was later re-established as an independent and autonomous body led by Alhaji Shehu Musa. The first census was conducted in 1991.

What Are The Duties Of The National Population Commission?

The Functions of the NPCs are

Collect, collate, and publish data on migration statistics
Prepare and maintain a national framework, including locality list and house numbering, for the delineation exercise for census and sample surveys in each local government area in Nigeria
Disseminate information and educate the general public about the functions of the Commission under the Act
Research and monitor the national population policy and set up a national population information data bank.

NPC Contribution To Economic Planning

According to NPC websites, the contribution of the National Population Census to economic planning are:

Economic well-being of the Nation

Accurate census data are necessary for developing accurate assessments of economic well-being for the nation as a whole and help the Government in proper economic planning.

Housing

Census data also aids the government in designing programs that aim to identify areas eligible for housing conditions, assistance, and rehabilitation.

Special Population and their needs

Data from the census will help the government in identifying the special population and their needs e.g. the disabled and people living with disabilities and how the government provide assistance that are tailored to their needs

Education

The data from the census will help in the allocation of funding for numerous educational programs such as vocational and adult education. It will also provide data that can help estimate or even forecast the number of schools required, out-of-school children, percentage of literacy in the country, and quality of educational curriculum.

Businesses

The 2023 Population and Housing Census will also generate data that will help business forecasting. That is identifying areas where businesses can thrive using the population size as an advantage. The resultant profit from this will enhance improvement in the amount of tax that will be generated by the Government.

Disaster Relief

Accurate census information helps the government plan disaster recovery and contingency planning initiatives. The data helps the government and associating agencies assess the number of camps and the shelter and recovery needs of the population affected by natural disasters.

Health

The Census provides information on the healthcare needs of the population. All health institutions’ information is collated and documented which helps to know how Nigerians’ healthcare is provided, what type of services are being provided, and areas within the healthcare that need improvement for better healthcare development. Healthcare providers, health insurance companies, government agencies, and beneficiaries need accurate information to make decisions regarding the products and services they provide and utilize.

Agriculture

Census data can help formulate, evaluate, change, and propose economic policies and programs that will help farmers. It can help develop market strategies, and create more efficient production and distribution systems. Dacollectedect during census can aid in Identifying services and facilities needed in developing communities and areas. Census data can help develop and improve methods to increase agricultural production and profitability.

Security

Population Census can provide data that can help the government to be aware of the ratio of security officers to be proportionate to the nation’s population which can help in improving lives and property security within the country

Ensure good and qualitative standard of living

Population census also assists in the determination of the standard of living of the people in a county.

Helps policy-making and public-sector planning

The number of people in a country is used to formulate policies for the economic development of the country.

Provision of infrastructure and social amenities

Population census gives the government an idea of the different numbers of people in different parts of the nation which will provide and insight to the government in providing adequate social amenities like water, electricity, roads, and hospitals which is beneficial to the citizens of the country.

Implementation of National Policy on Population

The Population and Housing Census will provide reliable and evidence-based data for the implementation of the revised National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development and the realization of the SDG