Nigeria May Conduct Census Before 2023—National Population Commission

The National Population Commission has said it may conduct a population census in 2022, once it completes its process of demarcation and administering questionnaire, adding that the exercise is subject to approval from the President.

This was disclosed to newsmen on Tuesday during a press conference on the commencement of fieldwork for the first pre-test for population and housing census.

The NPC’s Federal Commissioner in Gombe State, Abubakar Danburam, who delivered the address of the Chairman of commission, Nasir Kwarra, said the body had so far completed demarcation in over 600 local government areas out of the 774 in the country.

Recall that the population census was last conducted in Nigeria in 2006 and another ought to have been conducted in 2016.

NPC boss said the commission would soon suggest the census to President Muhammadu Buhari, once the entire processes were completed.

He said, “It is within the purview of the President; we can’t precisely say this is the date. However, we are embarking on pre-census activities.

“These are the efforts we are making in view of the fact that census is absolutely necessary. We are on the verge of completing pre census, maybe in the next one year. We will suggest a date to Mr President and we are targeting maybe 2022.”