President Muhammadu Buhari says deployment of digital technology in the 2023 National Population and Housing Census will ensure effectiveness and more accuracy in the figures, while noting that Nigeria could rank third largest in the world by 2050, after China and India.
The President stated this at the national stakeholders’ summit on the 2023 Population and Housing Census held at the State House, Abuja.
He said a reliable, credible, acceptable and successful census would aid purposeful development especially in bolstering the social security programme that targets more vulnerable Nigerians.
“The country’s inability to conduct a population census in the last 16 years has created an information vacuum as the data from the last census conducted in 2006 has been rendered out of date for planning purposes. It has therefore become imperative for the nation to conduct another national census to produce a new set of demographic and socio-economic data that will provide the basis for national planning and sustainable development, President Buhari said
According to President Buhari, due to the rapidly growing nature of the population and large proportion of the youthful population, Nigeria is also projected to be the third most populous country in the World by the year 2050 after India and China,’’ he said.
Despite Nigeria’s high-ranking position on the global demographic map, the President said its population censuses had been conducted irregularly and at intervals, longer than the United Nations recommended 10 years.
“The nation requires a new data set to drive the implementation of the recently launched revised National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development and other government policies. The 2023 Census data is also needed to tackle the security challenges bedevilling the country as it will give an overview of the population, where we are and who we are,’’ he added.
President Buhari therefore called for support from stakeholders including State Governments, Local Government Councils, Traditional and Religious Institutions, Civil Society Organizations, Private Sectors, media, Development Partners, Donor Agencies and the general populace for the successful conduct of the 2023 Census.
He said the summit would further strengthen collaboration and appreciated the National Population Commission for organizing the summit.
digital population and housing documentation
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who was represented by the Special Adviser to the President, Dr Habiba Muda Lawal, said the 2023 Census would be the first fully digital population and housing documentation and the outcome would be useful for planning and budgetary allocations.
Chairman of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, John Kayode Fayemi, represented by Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, said the outcome of the census would help in national and sub-national planning, particularly for education and health care.
On his part, Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, said President Buhari had once again proven that he would leave a formidable legacy for the nation.
The Chairman of the NPC, Nasir Isa Kwarra, thanked the President for the approval for the 2023 Census in April, after the general elections, assuring that the commission will work hard to make it “credible and acceptable’’.