President Muhammadu Buhari says the conduct of next year’s national population and housing census had become imperative.
This is in view of the need to produce a new set of demographic and socio-economic data for Nigeria.
He made the declaration in Abuja on Thursday, as he unveiled the project document for the smooth conduct of credible and acceptable 2023 population and housing census in the country.
According to him, the new data will provide the basis for national planning and sustainable development in all parts of the country.
He noted that the country’s inability to conduct a population census in the last 16 years had created an information vacuum as the data from the last census conducted in 2006 had become stale for planning purposes.
‘‘Population is a critical factor in a nation’s efforts toward achieving sustainable development. People are both the agents and beneficiaries of the process. Knowledge of the national population in terms of size, distribution and socio-economic characteristics is required for planning purposes.
”This, therefore, makes the conduct of census an essential governance activity,” the Nigerian leader stated.
President Buhari noted that with a projected population of 216 million, Nigeria is the sixth most populous country on the African continent.
He further maintained that due to the rapid growing nature of the population and large proportion of the youthful population, Nigeria was projected to be the third most populous country in the World by 2050 after India and China.
The Nigerian leader however, observed that despite Nigeria’s high-ranking position on the global demographic map, its population censuses had been conducted irregularly and at intervals, longer than the United Nations recommended 10 years.
‘‘This irregular and long interval of census taking in Nigeria, has denied the nation the huge benefits of comprehensive baseline data for evidence-based decision-making,’‘ he said.
Security Challenges
According to the President, the nation requires a new data set to drive the implementation of the recently launched revised National policy on Population for Sustainable Development and other government policies.
He said: “The 2023 census data is also needed to tackle the security challenges bedeviling the country as it will give an overview of the population, where we are and who we are.
”Our administration is convinced that the National Population Commission has the commitment and capacity to deliver to the nation a reliable, credible, acceptable and successful census.
”We are also satisfied with the deployment of technology by the commission to ensure the conduct of the first digital census methodology will enhance the data quality, in spite the confidence of the Nigerian people and acceptability of the census results.”
The President lauded the leadership and staff of the NPC for the successful conduct of the trial census.
He said the outcome of the preparatory activities for the main census is reassuring that the commission is progressing in the right direction.
‘‘The just concluded trial census, in which my household was enumerated in my hometown, Daura, Katsina State has renewed our hope and confidence in the capacity of the commission to deliver the 2023 census.
”The outcome of the preparatory activities for the main census is reassuring that the commission is progressing in the right direction,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of NPC, Nasiru Isa-Kwarra, commended the President for his continuous support and assistance to the commission.
He assured Nigerians that the commission remains committed to the conduct of credible and acceptable census in 2023.
Kwara explained that the national stakeholders’ summit was meant to create public awareness on the conduct of the 2023 census including imperatives, methodology and timeliness.
He said the summit was also meant to promote robust and informed national conversation on the processes and procedures for the 2023 census and to solicit for cooperation and support of key stakeholders for the 2023 census.
The summit, according to him, will also provide a platform to offer clarification and receive feedback and suggestions on salient issues and considerations related to the conduct of the 2023 population and housing census.
Confidence Okwuchi
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