✅ By Stanley Nwosu ✍️
On 3rd December 2025, history was made at the National Population Commission (NPC) as Dr. Aminu Yusuf (Talban Wushishi), a man of vision and reform, formally assumed office as the 8th substantive Chairman of the Commission, following his swearing-in by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
The rousing welcome accorded to Dr. Aminu Yusuf on his arrival at the NPC Headquarters in Abuja by the Federal Commissioners, Director-General, Management and Staff of the Commission is a symbolic reflection of hope that the long awaited Population and Housing Census will be finally conducted in his administration.
To many, Dr. Yusuf’s coming heralds a new era for the Commission, akin to a Biblical Joshua leading the Commission to the promised land.
Since Dr. Yusuf assumed office a few days ago, there has been a calm breeze of renewal sweeping across the corridors of the NPC. The dawn that has broken is not merely a change of leadership, but as the birth of a new era, defined by integrity, innovation, and purpose.
Standing before a cross-section of Federal Commissioners, management, and staff on his first day, Dr. Aminu Yusuf delivered an inaugural speech that blended humility, hope, and hard truths. With a voice measured yet resolute, he declared his assumption of office as Chairman of the Commission with reverence to divine providence and gratitude to President Tinubu for the trust reposed in him.
”This responsibility is both a privilege and a solemn duty,” he said, “one I pledge to uphold with unwavering dedication.”
With those words, the new Chairman set a tone of renewed purpose and collective ambition, anchored on rebuilding institutional trust and modernizing Nigeria’s demographic architecture.
He echoed the President’s charge: a call to “rebuild confidence, modernize systems, and deliver a transparent, technology-driven census that shapes our nation’s destiny.”
The message was unmistakable. Nigeria’s demographic future must no longer rest on guesswork, it must be driven by data, discipline, and integrity.
Dr. Yusuf unveiled a Seven-Point Strategic Agenda, each element serving as a pillar for institutional rebirth. It is a blueprint carefully curated not as administrative jargon, but as an actionable roadmap for transformation.
1. Stakeholder Engagement, Partnerships & Public Confidence
The new administration, he emphasized, would rebuild bridges with federal, state and local governments, civil society, academia, and the international community. “What we do here is not a bureaucratic routine; it is a national mission,” he affirmed.
2. Census Delivery
A modern, digital, and biometrically verifiable census, designed to meet international standards will be the hallmark of his tenure. The goal is clear, a census Nigerians can trust and use.
3. Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Digitization
The Commission will leap into the digital era, creating a nationwide electronic system that ensures every birth and every death is registered, empowering Nigeria’s social and economic planning.
4. Infrastructure Completion and Upgrade
From the swift completion of NPC’s new headquarters to the revitalization of state offices, administration under Dr. Yusuf will be grounded in visible results and operational efficiency.
5. Data Quality, Research, and National Surveys
The NPC, under his leadership, will stand as Nigeria’s trusted demographic think tank, ensuring every policy is guided by evidence, not assumption.
6. Strategic Population Management
Recognizing Nigeria’s evolving demographics, urbanization, migration, and a booming youth population, Dr. Yusuf called for data-driven policies to turn population growth into a source of strength, not strain.
7. Institutional Strengthening, Human Capital, and Staff Welfare
At the heart of his agenda lies a simple truth, “no institution can rise above the competence and morale of its people.” He pledged to invest boldly in the training, welfare, and motivation of every NPC staff member.
His philosophy reflects that of Nelson Mandela’s timeless insight, “it is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”
Born on April 15, 1960, in Wushishi, Niger State, Dr. Aminu Yusuf’s journey to national leadership is the story of discipline, diligence, and devotion. From the classrooms of the LEA Primary School, Zungeru, where he began his educational journey, to Nasarawa State University, Keffi, where he bagged his Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations, his pursuit of knowledge has been relentless.
His administrative and political career is equally storied. From serving as Executive Chairman of Wushishi Local Government Area, to his tenure as Board Member at NAFDAC, and later as Special Adviser (Political Affairs) to the Governor of Niger State, Dr. Yusuf has consistently demonstrated skillful leadership rooted in community engagement and public accountability.
He has worn many hats—educator, administrator, politician, reformer, and strategist—each role preparing him for this monumental national assignment. His leadership in grassroots mobilization for the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign further highlights his ability to blend vision with tactical execution. His research interest on population dynamics and development policy and PhD thesis focusing on Governance, Security, and Demography in West Africa, perfectly positions him for this national responsibility as the Chairman of NPC.
At the core of Dr. Yusuf’s leadership philosophy is a belief that credible data is the lifeblood of development. Without accurate population figures, national planning becomes guesswork; with it, development becomes deliberate.
“Our work will be guided by integrity, professionalism, and accountability,” he declared. “We will not only produce credible data, we will restore public trust.”
Under his stewardship, the National Population Commission is expected to undergo a metamorphosis, from a procedural agency to a data-driven powerhouse that informs national decision-making across health, education, housing, security, electoral process, and economic planning.
In his closing words, Dr. Yusuf offered a solemn commitment to the Nigerian people. A commitment to credibility, transparency, and service.
“We must earn the confidence of the Nigerian people not through words alone, but through actions, the integrity of our processes, and the excellence of our service.”
He acknowledged that the journey ahead will test the Commission’s resolve, but with discipline, patriotism, and purpose, the NPC will rise to its fullest potential, standing tall as a beacon of national pride.
Dr. Aminu Yusuf’s assumption of office is more than a transition; it is a turning point. It symbolizes the spirit of a new Nigeria, one that values truth in numbers, order in planning, and honesty in governance.
With his Seven-Point Agenda as the compass, integrity as the anchor, and national development as the destination, Dr. Yusuf stands poised to steer the National Population Commission into a future built on trust, precision, and progress.
✍️ —Stanley Onyeka Nwosu, mnipr, a Communication Strategist, Political Economist and Development Expert, is the Head of New Media at the NPC Headquarters, Abuja. He can be reached at stanleynwosu.npc@gmail.com
