Tinubu Will Conduct 2023 Census, Says Buhari As Exercise Postponed Indefinitely

For the second time, Nigeria’s 2023 population and housing census earlier rescheduled for May has been postponed Indefinitely.

Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, announced the postponement in a statement on Saturday — exactly one month to the date fixed for the exercise to commence.

The Census had earlier been scheduled for March 29 before it was shifted to May to avoid it coinciding with the last gubernatorial and state assembly elections.

The Minister said President Muhammadu Buhari approved the postponement of the census “to a date to be determined by the incoming Administration” of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“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).

“In arriving at the decision to postpone the Census, the meeting reiterated the critical need for the conduct of a Population and Housing Census, 17 years after the last Census, to collect 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, conduct of first and second pretests, the recruitment and training of adhoc 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.

“He 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,” Mohammed stated.

The National Population Commission will continue with preparations for the Census “in order to sustain the gains already recorded and provide the basis for the incoming administration to consolidate these achievements,” said the Minister.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved N2.8 billion for the National Population Commission to procure some software for the conduct of the census.