THE MAN, THE MISSION, THE MOMENTUM: DR. AMINU YUSUF’S REMARKABLE FIRST MONTH AT THE HELM OF NPC

*THE MAN, THE MISSION, THE MOMENTUM: DR. AMINU YUSUF’S REMARKABLE FIRST MONTH AT THE HELM OF NPC*

✅ By Stanley Nwosu ✍️

Since assuming office on 3rd December 2025, Dr. Aminu Yusuf, the new Chairman of National Population Commission (NPC), has demonstrated dynamic leadership, strategic vision, and a strong commitment to revitalizing the Commission. He walked into the Commission as a man with a mission, armed with vision, empathy, and a burning resolve to redefine leadership in Nigeria’s demographic management landscape.

In just one month, Dr. Yusuf has not only hit the ground running but has already left visible footprints of progress, reform, and renewed purpose across the Commission. The NPC has witnessed renewed energy, improved stakeholder confidence, and tangible progress toward achieving its mandate.

From day one, Dr. Yusuf made it clear that his leadership style would be anchored on 7-point agenda focusing on Stakeholder Engagement, Partnerships and Public Confidence; Census Delivery; Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Digitization; Infrastructure Completion and Upgrade; Data Quality, Research and National Surveys; Strategic Population Management; and Institutional Strengthening, Human Capital Development and Staff Welfare.

His first actions included strategic meetings with Federal Commissioners, management, and staff, and subsequent familiarization visits to all departments at the NPC Headquarters in Abuja. Many have hailed this as “unprecedented in warmth and depth,” setting the tone for a responsive, people-centred leadership era. He also visited the NPC Kaduna State Office to familiarize and engage the staff, making it the first state office he has visited.

Dr. Yusuf’s open-door policy and hands-on engagement inspired new morale and optimism among staff. Through these interactions, he clearly articulated his 7-Point Agenda, which garnered widespread support both within and outside the Commission. Notably, he has started discussions with the National Salary Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and Federal Housing Authority (FHA) to enhance salaries, allowances, and housing opportunities for staff, underscoring his commitment to staff welfare. Furthermore, he assured employees with disabilities that the Commission would comply fully with the National Disability Act to meet their needs, ensuring inclusivity and equal opportunity.

For the first time in years, staff members felt truly seen and valued. His people-focused leadership approach has inspired confidence and reignited enthusiasm across the workforce, with staff now assured that their welfare remains a top priority.

The “Yusuf effect” extended beyond the Commission into the digital public sphere. In just four weeks, NPC’s website traffic surged, and social media following grew by over 4%, with engagement on official posts dramatically increasing, signalling boosted public confidence and renewed interest in NPC’s activities.

These numbers go beyond metrics; they reflect trust. Nigerians online are paying attention, inspired by a new vision of transformation under Dr. Yusuf’s steady hand.

Understanding the critical role of collaboration in sustainable development, Dr. Yusuf has wasted no time in forging relationships with international stakeholders. Within his first month, he held strategic consultations with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, seeking synergy and support for NPC’s activities. The UNFPA endorsed his 7-point agenda as visionary and transformational, aligning with their mission that every count matters in development planning.

These engagements, insiders say, are reshaping Nigeria’s global demographic diplomacy and positioning the Commission as “a serious player and dependable partner” in population data governance.

As part of his stakeholder engagement, Dr. Yusuf sought counsel and support from Nigeria’s elder statesmen, including former Military President General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, in pursuit of inclusive and informed governance. He has also outlined plans to visit all surviving former NPC Chairmen, reflecting a respect for continuity and institutional memory.

In another strong demonstration of foresight, Dr. Yusuf personally toured the Commission’s newly built state-of-the-art digital data centres in Abuja and Kaduna State, emphasizing quality assurance and timely completion. The facilities, when fully operational, will strengthen the Commission’s capacity to securely store its data.

Determined to resolve bottlenecks and fast-track the fulfillment of key institutional legacies, he also inspected the progress of the NPC’s permanent headquarters in Mabushi, Abuja, expressing his commitment to ensure its completion within his first 100 days in office.

In the spirit of expanding institutional efficiency, Dr. Yusuf entered discussions with the First Bank of Nigeria Limited, exploring potential areas of collaboration, particularly in an efficient payment system for ad-hoc workers, digital solutions and financial inclusion initiatives linked to demographic data.

Moreover, recognizing the financial hurdles faced by population development programmes, he used the platform of the 13th Annual Population Lecture Series (APLS) to call for innovative domestic financing models.

“We can no longer wait for diminishing foreign aid. Nigeria must fund its population programmes sustainably and proudly,” Dr. Yusuf declared.

He also proposed that the Commission be listed among agencies receiving first-line charges from statutory transfers to guarantee sustainable financing of population activities and as a strategic buffer to address recurring funding gaps that disrupt Nigeria’s census cycle.

Under Dr. Yusuf’s leadership, the NPC has intensified legislative advocacy toward reforming Nigeria’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system. The ongoing process seeks to merge the NPC Act and the Births and Deaths Act into a single, comprehensive legislation. This reform aims to streamline institutional functions, eliminate duplication, and strengthen the legal framework for efficient and modern CRVS operations nationwide.

On New Year’s Day, during the presentation of an NPC-issued birth certificate to the First Baby of the Year by the First Lady of Nigeria Senator Oluremi Tinubu at Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, Dr. Yusuf highlighted the significance of timely birth registration and certification. He urged State First Ladies to partner with NPC Federal Commissioners to replicate the birth certificate initiative for first babies of the year in all States of Nigeria, reinforcing the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that every child born in Nigeria is registered.

As observers take stock of Dr. Yusuf’s first month in office, one consensus rings clear: this is a Chairman rewriting the NPC narrative with urgency, purpose, and people-first values. His actions reveal a man not content with rhetoric but committed to results.

In just one month, Dr. Aminu Yusuf has reinvigorated the National Population Commission, instilling a renewed sense of purpose and professionalism. His leadership reflects a fusion of vision, action, and collaboration, positioning the NPC as a credible institution ready to deliver on its mandate of generating reliable demographic and geospatial data for national planning and sustainable development.

✍️
—Stanley Onyeka Nwosu, mnipr, a Communication Strategist, Political Economist and Development Expert, is the SA on Media to the Honourable Chairman of National Population Commission.