“The President gave the approval after meeting with some members of the Federal Executive Council and the Chairman of the National Population Commission and his team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday (28 April 2023),” the statement read.
The statement further revealed that the decision to postpone the census was arrived at after reiterating the critical need for the conduct of a Population and Housing Census, 17 years after the last Census. The census is aimed at collecting up-to-date data that will drive the developmental goals of the country and improve the living standard of the Nigerian people.
“The President noted that with the completion of the Enumeration Area Demarcation of the country, the conduct of first and second pretests, the recruitment and training of ad-hoc workers, procurement of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and ICT infrastructures, appreciable progress has been made in the implementation of the 2023 Population and Housing Census,” the statement read.
President Buhari also commended the methodology being put in place by the Commission to conduct accurate and reliable Census, especially the massive deployment of technology that is capable of delivering world-class Census and laying a sustainable basis for future censuses.
“The President further directed the Commission to continue with preparations for the conduct of the 2023 Population and Housing Census in order to sustain the gains already recorded and provide the basis for the incoming administration to consolidate these achievements.
“The meeting was attended by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami; the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed; the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Mr Clem Agba and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha,” the statement added.
The development has sparked mixed reactions from Nigerians, with some expressing disappointment, while others believe that it was a necessary step. Some Nigerians believe that the postponement may be due to inadequate preparations by the commission, while others feel that it may be politically motivated. Regardless, there is a general consensus that the census is an important exercise that should not be compromised in any way.