The Federal Government has shifted the date for commencement of the 2023 population and housing census to May 2023.
The postponement was made known on Wednesday, 15 March, by Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the shift of the exercise followed the postponement of the gubernatorial and state assembly elections from 11 March to 18 March by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The minister also disclosed that the Council had approved the sum of N2.8 billion for the National Population Commission (NPC) to procure software needed for the exercise.
Mohammed said: “There was a memo presented by the National Population Commission seeking some software to allow them to conduct the census in May this year.
”I believe because of the rescheduling of the elections, they cannot commence the census as scheduled.
“They sought council’s approval for a contract to procure software for the census at the sum of N2.8 billion.”
On 7 March, 2023, the Nigerian government had raised concern about the conduct of the National Census scheduled to hold between 29 March and 2 April.
According to the federal government, the census may not be feasible over the impact of funding, insecurity and cultural differences on the exercise.
These fears were raised by Minister of State for Budget and Planning, Clem Agba, who said the conduct of the 2023 National Housing and Population Census wash hanging on a balance.
Agba, who raised the concerns at a meeting with members of the private sector and development partners in Abuja on Monday, explained that though over 60 percent of funds needed for the census had been released, more funding intervention from development partners remains key.
The meeting which was the second for officials of the National Population Commission (NPC), development partners, the diplomatic corps, and members of the private sector amid preparations for the National Housing and Population Census, was convened to address grey areas for a successful exercise nationwide.
The Minister said one of the objectives of the meeting was how to source for funds for the exercise, promising to manage the funds in a transparent manner.