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NASRDA PLEDGES SATELLITE SUPPORT AS NIGERIA TARGETS CENSUS ACCURACY
The Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Dr. Matthew Adepoju, has emphasized that the Agency’s possesses space-based technologies and geospatial intelligence, which are indispensable tools, essential for ensuring integrity and precision in contemporary population data collection.
He made the statement during a courtesy visit on the Chairman and top management staff of the National Population Commission (NPC) in Abuja.
Dr. Adepoju, harped on the Agency’s commitment to supporting the National Population Commission in ensuring success of the forthcoming national census, adding that NASRDA is strategic to enhancing its success, accuracy and efficiency.
He stressed that NASRDA’s contributions are not peripheral but foundational to delivering a credible and data-driven population enumeration exercise.
The NASRDA Boss pointed out that, for the first time in Nigeria’s census history, the country is on track to achieve ninety-eighth percent accuracy, attributing this to the level of preparation and technological integration championed by the National Population Commission Chairman.
The according to him marks a significant evolution from past methodologies, recalling NASRDA’s role in the 2006 census where satellite imagery was used to identify settlements, but noting that this time, advancements in geospatial science will allow for precise identification of individual buildings.
Dr Adepoju explained that the Space Agency’s strength lies not only in its satellite infrastructure but also in its human capital.
He said NASRDA has trained field personnel with deep knowledge of space applications and on-ground data collection ethics, making them valuable assets as ad hoc officers, for the census.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the National Population Commission, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, thanked the NASRDA delegation and expressed appreciation for the Agency’s longstanding collaboration with the Commission.
He acknowledged the constitutional importance of the Commission’s mandate and noted that generating accurate and reliable data is vital for national development planning.
Hon. Kwarra highlighted the role of National Space Research and Development Agency(NASRDA)in providing foundational geospatial data through advanced delineation and mapping technologies while disclosing that a presidential committee is currently reviewing the census methodology and budget.
He said that once the report is approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a census date will be announced and NASRDA will be formally engaged to deploy its technical support.
According to a report compiled by Chado Joel and
Joy Opaluwa of Media and Corporate Corporate Communication of the Agency, the NPC Chairman affirmed that NASRDA personnel would be utilized optimally across the country, citing their advanced training as a major advantage.
He also reiterated that the success of the census would be a shared achievement, with both NASRDA and the NPC receiving due recognition for their roles.
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