The Chairman of the National Population Commission,NPC, Nasir Isa Kwarra, on Tuesday officially concluded his five-year tenure and handed over leadership of the Commission to Muhammad Dattijo, the Federal Commissioner representing Niger State.
Dattijo will serve as Acting Chairman pending the swearing-in of Aminu Yusuf by President Bola Tinubu.
The brief but symbolic handover ceremony, held at the NPC Headquarters in Abuja, was attended by Federal Commissioners, the Director-General, Directors, and staff of the Commission.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the NPC said Kwarra expressed gratitude to colleagues and subordinates for their support throughout his tenure, noting that the Commission had made major strides in strengthening data collection systems, digitising Civil Registration and Vital Statistics and advancing preparations for the forthcoming national population and housing census.
“The achievements recorded under my leadership were made possible through collective commitment and professionalism,” Kwarra said.
The event featured emotional tributes, signing of the official handover notes, presentation of gifts, and a group photograph to mark the transition.
Dattijo’s assumption comes as the Commission continues key preparatory work ahead of Nigeria’s long-awaited national census, the first since 2006.
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Appointed in 2020 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, Kwarra led the NPC through one of its most critical periods including the digital mapping and enumeration area demarcation that modernised census operations and enhanced data accuracy.
The 2023 census, initially scheduled to hold under his watch, was postponed due to more pressing program of transition by the Buhari administration.
The incoming substantive Chairman, Aminu Yusuf is expected to steer the Commission toward completing the national census a vital step for evidence-based planning, resource allocation, and sustainable development across Nigeria.
