FEDERAL GOVT POSTPONES NATIONAL POPULATION CENSUS
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The Federal Government on Wednesday announced the postponement of the National Population Census from March 29 to a later paeriod in May.
The postponement was announced on Wednesday by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja.
He said the decision to shift the census was necessitated by the postponement of the gubernatorial and state assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission from 11 March to 18 March 2023.
The exercise, earlier scheduled for 29 March, will now take place in May but no specific date has been given.
The minister also disclosed that the council approved N2.8 billion for the National Population Commission (NPC) to procure software for the census.
Clement Agba, minister of state for budget and national planning, had last week Monday, hinted on the postponement of the population and housing census to May 2023 from March earlier announced by the National Population Commission (NPC).
Speaking during a ‘high level partners’ engagement’ on the 2023 population and housing census in Abuja, Agba stated that of N889 billion required to conduct the census, only N291.5 billion had been committed by the government.
According to him, “The total requirement for the Census (including post Census activities) is N869 billion.
Census requirement is N626b, which is about $6 per capita (just slightly above the threshold of up to $5 per capita). Post-Census (up to 2025) – N243b ($527m).
“So far, the government has committed N291.5 billion ($632m) to the census, making it 46 percent of total funding for the census. An additional (immediate) sum of N327.2bn ($709.9m) is required to complete the census”, Agba said.
He also noted the recommendations for the exercise to be postponed to May, 2023.
He said, “The last census in Nigeria was conducted in 2006. In 2014, the previous government proposed another census for 2016 in line with the UN recommendation for the Decennial Census.
“That administration, however, exited in 2015 without accomplishing the wish. From 2015 to 2016, the country slipped into a recession due to the crash in oil price and production.
“In 2018/2019, the government recommitted to the conduct of the census. In 2020, Covid-19 disrupted plans for the exercise. The census was rescheduled for March 2023, but now recommended to hold in May 2023. In 2021/2022, funds were appropriated for the Census. The census was initially planned for 2022, but was moved to 2023, after the elections.”
In her remarks, Zainab Ahmed, the minister of finance, budget and national planning, said that the Federal Government envisaged a credible census exercise with the use of digital technology, adding that the 2023 census would involve the use of digital maps.
She stressed on ensuring the use of digital technology for credible, reliable, and acceptable outcomes; and provides accurate and well-disaggregated data for strategic planning and policy making.
“I am pleased to intimate you that the 2023 Population and Housing Census will be Green Census involving the use of digital maps, digital questionnaires and cloud computingto ensure compliance with the global climate change campaign for reduction of emission by 30 percent unconditionally and an additional 15 percent conditionally by the year 2030.”
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