President Muhammadu Buhari has given his approval to postpone the 2023 Population and Housing Census, which was originally scheduled to take place from 3-7 May 2023.
The decision was made following a meeting with key members of the Federal Executive Council and the Chairman of the National Population Commission on Friday (28 April 2023) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The delay in the Census, which was last conducted 17 years ago, has been met with some concerns.
However, the meeting emphasized the importance of conducting a Population and Housing Census to collect up-to-date data that will drive the country’s developmental goals and improve the living standards of the Nigerian people.
President Buhari commended the National Population Commission for the progress made in the implementation of the Census, including the completion of the Enumeration Area Demarcation of the country, the conduct of the first and second pretests, the recruitment and training of adhoc workers, and the procurement of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and ICT infrastructures.
He also praised the Commission’s methodology, particularly the massive deployment of technology capable of delivering world-class Census.
The President directed the Commission to continue with the preparations for the Census in order to sustain the progress made so far and provide a solid foundation for future censuses.
The meeting was attended by key members of the Cabinet, including the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Minister of Information and Culture, the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The new date for the Census is yet to be determined by the incoming administration.
