The Nigerian Government has said it is targeting to hold a national census in April 2023 after the general election, slated for February and March 2023.
Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Isa-Kwarra, made the disclosure at the end of Thursday’s Council of State meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The NPC boss disclosed that the commission will deploy high technology in the conduct of the national census.
He added that through census, data is generated for planning, noting that the data currently being used are mere projections and obsolete.
Kwarra said: “The National Population Commission is to conduct a Pilot Census in June this year, after the political parties’ primary elections. The last census was held in August 2006.
“It is very crucial to hold a census because it is a very important exercise for the nation. Because through the census we generate the data that we use for policy making, for planning, for development, by the three tiers of government, and the private sector, they all need this.
“If you are a private sector, you’re producing something; certainly, you need to know the population of an area if you want to create a market there.
“So, census data is very crucial, very important. Because, the data we’ve been using are just projections, estimation. And are sort of obsolete, we need the actual census data to use for our planning. “
Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, who also briefed correspondents, disclosed that President Buhari will meet security chiefs on Tuesday next week, over the current security situation in the country, following recommendations and comments by the Council of State.
He said the necessary measures would be taken to ensure that farmers across the country carry out their activities without any hindrance.
This is the fourth time the President will preside over the meeting, with the first being held on October 21, 2015 and the second on September 7, 2016 and the third was held virtually in August 2020.
The Council of State is an organ saddled with the responsibility of advising the executive on policy making matters.
Members of the council include: President, Vice President, past Presidents, Senate President, Speaker, House of Representatives, as well as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, serving and past.
Others are the Attorney General of the Federation, all State Governors and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory FCT.
Dominica Nwabufo
