Nigeria is four years behind the official schedule for a national population and housing census.
The country was due for another national census in 2016, being 10 years after the last one was conducted in 2006.
However, the national census did not hold as scheduled in 2016 and has not been held since then.
The census conducted in 2006 by the National Population Commission (NPC) revealed that Nigeria’s total population was 140.43 million people and by 2016, when Nigeria was due for another census, NPC’s estimates based on the last census showed that the country’s population had risen to 193.39 million people.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved N14.5bn for the NPC to complete its ongoing nationwide Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD).
The EAD is the process of delineating the entire land area of the country into small geographical and demographic units called Enumeration Areas.
The EAD is a preparatory exercise for the actual census.
The breakdown of the N14.5bn approved for the EAD included an instant N10bn in 2020 and inclusion of N4.5bn in the 2021 budget for the completion of the exercise as part of the preparations for the next census.
This was revealed by the Acting Chairman of the NPC, Dr Eyitayo Oyetunji, recently in Abuja at a press briefing for the commencement of the fieldwork for the 10th phase of the EAD exercise.
“This milestone development underscores the President’s understanding of the role of data, especially demographic data as the bedrock for informed development planning and allocation of resources,” he said.
The acting NPC boss said there is no specific date for the conduct of the census, but the commission is ready to conduct it once approval is granted.
He revealed that the 10th phase of the EAD will be conducted in 33 local government areas spread across 25 states and the FCT from October 5 to 29.
The states include Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Adamawa, Bauchi, and in Borno, Taraba, Benue, Niger, Plateau, Kogi, and the FCT.
Others include Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, and Rivers.
The Director General of the Commission, Dr Ghaji Ismaila Bello, said the recent release of funds for the completion of the EAD is a clear statement that the nation is ready for the census and the president is in support.
He expressed gratitude to the president for appointing the remaining commissioners in the Commission to better position the agency for the next census.