NPC launches 2026 World Population Day in Gombe, highlights milestones under Renewed Hope Agenda

From David Hassan, Gombe

The National Population Commission (NPC) has officially launched the 2026 World Population Day in Gombe State, emphasizing Nigeria’s demographic outlook and the critical role of empirical data in driving national development.
Speaking during a press briefing with journalists on Thursday in Gombe, the Federal Commissioner representing the NPC in Gombe State, Hon. Abubakar Mohammed Danburam, highlighted the strategic importance of the commission’s partnership with the media in driving advocacy and thematic discussions around population management.
Commissioner Danburam disclosed that Nigeria’s estimated population now stands at 238 million people, reaffirming its position as Africa’s most populous nation and one of the world’s youngest demographics.
Aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Danburam outlined government interventions aimed at addressing youth unemployment—noting a 50% impact goal across the youth lifecycle, with current unemployment at 33% and underemployment exceeding 20%.
To bridge this gap, the NPC is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development using aggregated data dashboards to monitor progress.
He noted that major pillar of this effort is the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program.
The commissioner confirmed the successful completion of Phase 1, which trained and certified 30,000 fellows across all 36 states and the FCT.
To eliminate financial barriers in tertiary education, the Federal Government has operationalized the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), extending financial aid to thousands of eligible undergraduates nationwide.
Targeting 100% digital birth registration, the NPC has modernized its Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system alongside the National Geospatial Data Repository across all 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) to ensure comprehensive identity capture for young citizens.
Commissioner Danburam concluded by advocating for an expedited review of the National Youth Policy, emphasizing that updated frameworks alongside accurate census data remain vital for effective national planning and sustainable development.