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Tag: Census

  • Buhari unveils 2023 Census Project Document, lauds NPC for successful Trial Census

    Buhari unveils 2023 Census Project Document, lauds NPC for successful Trial Census

    President Muhammadu Buhari has unveiled the 2023 National Population and Housing Census
    Project Document, aimed at promoting robust and informed national conversation on procedures for the census.

    He unveiled the document at the National Stakeholders Summit on the 2023 census, organised by the National Population Commission (NPC), in collaboration with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday.

    The president said the conduct of the 2023 National Population and Housing Census had become imperative in view of the need to produce new set of demographic and socio-economic data for the country.

    According to him, data will provide the basis for national planning and sustainable development. He added that the country’s inability to conduct a population census in the last 16 years created an information vacuum as data from the last census conducted in 2006 had been rendered out of date for planning purposes.

    Buhari said “population is a critical factor in a nation’s efforts toward achieving sustainable development.

    “People are both the agents and beneficiaries of the process. Knowledge of the national population in terms of size, distribution and socio-economic characteristics are required for planning.

    “’This, therefore, makes the conduct of census an essential governance activity. With a projected population of 216 million, Nigeria is the sixth most populous country on the African continent.”

    He further said that due to the rapidly growing nature of the population and large proportion of youthful population, Nigeria is projected to be the third most populous country in the world by 2050 after India and China.

    He, however, noted that in spite of the country’s high-ranking position on the global demographic map, population census had been irregular and longer than the UN recommended 10 years.

    “This irregular and long interval of census taking in Nigeria has denied the nation the huge benefits of comprehensive baseline data for evidence-based decision-making,” he said.

    According to the president, the nation requires new data 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.

    “Our administration is convinced that the National Population Commission has the commitment and capacity to deliver to the nation a reliable, credible, acceptable and successful census.

    “We are also satisfied with the deployment of technology by the commission to ensure the conduct of the first digital census methodology to enhance data quality,” he added.

    He said that the outcome of the preparatory activities for the main census had been reassuring that the commission was progressing in the right direction.

    “The just concluded trial census, in which my household was enumerated in my hometown, Daura, Katsina State, has renewed our hope and confidence in the capacity of the commission to deliver the 2023 census,” Buhari said.

    Earlier, the NPC chairman, Alhaji Nasir Isa-Kwarra, had commended the president for his continued support and assistance to the commission.

    According to him, the commission remains committed to the conduct of credible and acceptable census in 2023.

    He explained that the national stakeholders summit was meant to create public awareness on the conduct of the 2023 census, including the methodology and timeliness.

    He said the summit was also meant to promote robust and informed national conversation on the processes and procedures for the census and to solicit the cooperation and support of key stakeholders.

    It was also aimed at convincing citizens to submit themselves for enumeration purpose during the 2023 census.

    The summit, according to him, will also provide a platform to offer clarification and receive feedback and suggestions on salient issues and considerations related to the conduct of the census.

  • 2023 Population Census: NPC launches Call Centre

    National Population Commission (NPC) has launched a call centre for the 2023 Population and Housing Census.

    The Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Nasir Kwara, said at the launch in Abuja on Tuesday that NPC had intensified preparatory activities for the successful conduct of the first digital census in Nigeria.

    He said “the launch of this integrated call centre for the 2023 census is yet another major step toward making the head count a resounding success.

    “It also underscores our commitment toward providing demographic data for national planning.”

    He described population census as “a people-oriented activity that seeks to capture the demographic characteristics of the populace across the length and breadth of the country.”

    The chairman emphasised the imperatives of putting in place a platform for constant interaction between the commission and the people through which information could be obtained, clarified and feedback received on the census process.

    According to him, the Call Centre is equipped with modern Information and Communication Technology facilities for video conferencing, emails and telephony to facilitate effective communication for the census.

    Kwarra explained that “this call centre will serve as an information hub for seamless interface between NPC and the public before, during and after the census exercise.

    “Enquiries from the public to the commission about the census process, on field activities and other census frequently asked questions are expected to be responded to by trained personnel.

  • Conducting census for the living and the living dead – By Owei Lakemfa

    Conducting census for the living and the living dead – By Owei Lakemfa

    By Owei Lakemfa

    Life in Nigeria is very cheap and living is very costly. But please don’t ask me for the statistics because they are hard to come by. Registration of birth, especially in the rural areas is not common, but more uncommon is that of death; the general attitude is ‘God gives and God takes’. So why worry about a death certificate?

    Weekly, there are reports of killings across the country, especially by terrorists, kidnappers and bandits. Some of these hold territory, run court and impose taxes, and all institutions, including the security services and governments, seem unable or incapable of defending the citizenry. The result is the mass exodus to various parts of the country like Abuja and neigbouring countries like Cameroun that are thought to be safer.

    The Buhari administration thinks that given this scenario, there is the need to know how many Nigerians are still surviving, how many foreigners have flowed in, how many bandits, especially from Central and West Africa have crossed into the country. These groups have complicated our problems by leaving villages and towns deserted and ruining lives.

    Also, given arrested social progress, ever rising inflation, hunger and the imperative of borrowing from abroad, there is the need for the country to have some reliable population count so we will ever be conversant with the ratio of population to external borrowings. As some have argued, borrowing shows the good health of our economy as the rich would not want to extend loan facilities to the insolvent.

    Ordinarily, census is supposed to give reliable data with which to plan and determine the basic needs for schools, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure. That cannot be the reason for the Buhari government conducting census because it is doing wonderfully well without statistics. In any case, you do not need census to tell you that out of school children should be in school. In the case of this government, even schools for such children built by the previous administration, were abandoned.

    In 2012, the Jonathan administration set out to build 400 schools in the North to vastly improve education in that part of the country. At least, 165 of these integrated Amajiri schools were opened, some with integrated language laboratories and health clinics. But when the Buhari administration came to power, many of these schools were shut down, some seized by state governments and many underutilized with the students roaming the streets.

    So why would it worry itself with planning for basic needs when it has only 15 months to go in an eight-year renewed tenure? It might have to do more with the allocation of funds and justification of why in a country where 90 per cent contribute little or nothing to the national purse, the producers get little, and the non-producers get the lion share.

    The digital census which is coming with a princely tag of N178.09 billion is needed at this time of want, and when free money needs to be sourced for the 2023 elections.

    All these should not be misconstrued as my being allergic to census. No, I love it because it will show that while Nigeria may well be big for nothing, at least, it has the largest population of Black people in the world. That feeling can be soothing.

    The last census in 2006 gave us a population of 140 million which some states challenged. Our current estimated population, according to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, is 206 million. I bet we are way more than that as the new census might also include estimated figures which would be handy in politicians negotiating among themselves.

    Census is not really value free as it has its own politics. For example, the South rejected the provisional results of the 2006 census which had Kano with 9.4 million as the most populous state followed by Lagos State with nine million people. That census had the North with 75 million people and the South, 65 million. The then Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, demanded a recount, insisting that the state which led the 1991 Census and had since then developed into a mega city as attested to by the international community, cannot have less population than Kano State.

    He argued that a parallel census the state had conducted in collaboration with the National Population Commission had over 17.5 million people; so the 9.0 million given it was fraudulent. The Pan Igbo umbrella group, Ohanaeze said the 2006 census was used as a political weapon to present Igbo as a minority populace. Then president, Olusegun Obasanjo, said Nigerians were free to do whatever they liked with that census. It is not known if the final population figures were released, but what is certain is that no store was put on this population exercise. It was a waste of resources. The first national census in 1953 conducted by the British colonialists was controversial and rejected, as were those of 1962, 1963 and 1973.

    Let me commend President Muhammadu Buhari for forging ahead with his census programme because only a courageous leader would conduct a census when many parts of the country are under the control of local and foreign invaders, terrorists and bandits. Unless a decision has been taken to estimate the population, how do you conduct census in parts of the country under occupation?

    I do not take the joke of the Chairman of the NPC, Nasir Isa Kwarra, serious. He boasts that the commission has the capacity to tackle insecurity in all the states of the federation during the census. If for 13 years the entire Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies have been unable to defeat the Boko Haram, and cannot put down rampaging banditry and kidnapping, how does a civil commission like his hope to marshal the necessary firepower and security to overrun these groups during the census? Does he hope to bring in American and Russians troops to do the job?

    If population were linked with production and taxation rather than free consumption, the figures would be more reliable and less contentious. By the way, what is the whole essence of the National Identification Number, NIN, which is assigned to every Nigerian at the completion of enrolment into the National Identity Data Base?

    In a country where elections are rigged with impunity, doubts will always be created by a new population census even if they are conducted by angels. So the May, 2022 census may just be another round of controversy and acrimony. Who knows, that might well be the motive; at least it would divide Nigerians on ethno-regional basis and divert attention from the pressing challenges of insecurity, hunger and living in conditions unsuitable for human beings.

  • BREAKING: Buhari approves N10 billion for census

    BREAKING: Buhari approves N10 billion for census

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved release of N10 billion to the National Population Commission (NPC) for continuation of the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) in the remaining 546 Local Government Area of the country.

    Buhari also approved an additional N4.5 billon to be included in the 2021 Budget for completion of the exercise as part of the preparations for the next census.

    Acting Chairman of NPC, Dr. Eyitayo Oyetunji,disclosed these in Abuja while briefing reporters on the release of the funds and the update on the EAD at the NPC headquarters.

    Details shortly…

  • Conduct national census before end of 2020,Reps tells FG

    The House of Representatives has asked the federal government to immediately put in motion, preparation for the conduct of a comprehensive national census before the end of 2020, saying the exercise was long overdue.

    The House said it is unfortunate that Nigeria has relied solely on projections by foreign bodies on her population figures for planning, adding that it was extremely important to conduct a new national census.

    Moving the motion on the need to commence the exercise, Hon. Ademorin Kuye (APC, Lagos) described population census as an important national assignment because its figures are critical for national planning.

    He said the lack of accurate data on the population of Nigeria has been affecting national planning and development at all levels and therefore asked the House to compel the National Population Commission to come up with a comprehensive timetable for the conduct of the census.

    He explained that it was because of its importance that countries across the world carry out this exercise once every ten years, adding that without a census, and an accurate data of the number of people in a given country, no government can provide adequately for its citizens.

    He said at the moment, the country’s population is predicated on projected figures provided by foreign organizations like the United Nations, thus making planning extremely difficult in the absence of a population census which the National Population Commission (NPC) would have conducted every ten (10) years, as is obtainable in other countries.

    He said further that since the first census was held in Lagos in 1866, there had been a trend towards better planned and more reliable census exercises as subsequent census exercises, adding however that the 1952/1953 census was the first modern, national and carefully planned census in the country and the outcome was generally accepted.

    Hon Kuye expressed concern that the last national census was conducted in 2006, adding that until it becomes mandatory to conduct census at given intervals like elections, Nigeria will continue to have delays in organizing national census.

    He disclosed that it has become extremely important to conduct another census to ascertain the country’s actual population in order to do away with projected figures, a development that will enable the Government to plan better for the citizens.

    He expressed concern that if adequate measures are not put in place to ensure that population census is conducted periodically, at least once every 10 years, Nigeria will be lacking in the statistical data of its citizens either politically or economically.

    Hon. Kuye said further that in 2016, the World Bank estimated Nigeria’s population at 186 million, while the United Nations put the figures at 180 million with a growth rate of 2.7.

    He said that in 2018, the National Assembly called for the postponement of the proposed 2018 population census on the ground that such an exercise, coming on the eve of the 2019 general elections, could end in chaos.

    He acknowledged the fact that Nigeria was a dynamic economy with a large population which is expected to double in the next two decades, adding that the national census was therefore a pivotal and necessary tool for the growth of any emerging society.

    The House resolved to ask the Federal Government to put an end to the uncertainties surrounding the nation’s actual population by putting in place necessary machineries to conduct the national census not later than 2020.

  • Census: Population clock cannot guarantee accurate population figure, says UNFPA

    Mr Osaretin Adonri, Assistant Representative, UN Population Fund (UNFPA) says population clock is not a reliable indicator to guarantee accurate population figure of any nation.
    He told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday that “population clock is only an electronic projection that is functional based on programming.”
    He said that population clock all over the world was not used to ascertain accurate number of population but based on speculation.
    “Population clock cannot give you accurate population of any country because it is based on projections.
    “Nigeria does not have it because I have not seen it in the population commission.”
    The UNPFA official restated the call for census in the country, which he said was paramount for population accuracy and for effective planning.
    He explained that the country was long overdue for a census, adding that it would put to rest the catalogue of speculative population figures about Nigeria.
    According to him, Nigeria’s population for now is speculative and projected and not accurate.
    The official expressed confidence in the capacity of National Population Commission (NPoPC) to conduct an all-inclusive census and called for support for the commission.
    He added that every area would be counted in future census “and issues of over counting and under counting will be taken care of with Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) which NPopC has already started.”
    NAN reports that Nigeria, Africa’s most populated country, had the last census in 2006.

  • We’ll need over N220bn to conduct next census – NPC DG

    The National Population Commission has said the next census will cost well over N220bn.

    The Director-General of the NPC, Dr. Ghaji Ismail, said this in Abuja on Tuesday at the commencement of fieldwork for the continuation of the Enumeration Area Demarcation.

    He said the 2015 budget for the proposed 2016 census which eventually did not take place was put at N220bn.

    Ismail said with currency devaluation and inflation rates, the commission would require much more than N220bn to conduct a census.

    The DG said, “How much will it cost? At this point in time it is going to be very difficult because there have been changes. It is not something you can say off hand but if we deduce from our previous submission in 2015 hoping that it would take place in 2016, a lot has changed in terms of currency devaluation but if we are to use the 2015 submission, we are looking at a submission of over N220bn.”

    Ismail said although the 2019 budget proposal had no provision for a census, a separate budget could be submitted for the exercise.

    The DG said it was time to begin to speak about it since elections were already coming to an end.

    He, therefore, pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to take the matter into consideration.

    Ismail added, “Normally, it (census budget) is done within the wide service vote which is directly under the Presidency and therefore, when the proclamation is made by Mr. President. We are very hopeful because we have briefed him and we are very hopeful that this time around, having put the elections behind us, Mr. President would look at the commission favourably so that we can undertake the net census because, without the consensus, there will be no planning.

    “We are proud to say Mr President is doing very well in the area of infrastructure in the last three to four years and we are convinced that he will continue to do so but better still, from our perspective, the infrastructure should be provided based on the basis that we know where we are, who we are, where we are mostly located and our various population dynamics.”

    Ismail said the time had come for a law to be introduced which will give the NPoPC the mandate to hold census at regular intervals just as the Independent National Electoral Commission undertakes elections every four years.

    He said a bill had been submitted to the National Assembly to that effect which had passed the first reading but things slowed down because of the electioneering.

    The DG added, “We are conscious of the fact that the absence of a legislation has actually not done us any good because the absence of legislation leaves the decision to conduct census at the liberty or the vagaries of nature which means it is left to time and chance.

    “We are working hard. In fact, we have conducted two rounds of in-house review for a legal instrument to see that we push it forward. As we speak, we have proposed an amendment of the Act which is before the National Assembly. If I am not mistaken, it has gone through the first reading but elections came up.

    Also speaking, the Chairman of the commission, Hassan Bashir, announced the commencement of the Enumeration Area Demarcation.

    Bashir explained that the EAD which holds from March 21 to April 13 across 23 states will constitute the architecture for the census exercise.

  • Nigeria is overdue for census — NPOPC

    Nigeria is overdue for census — NPOPC

    Mrs Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission (NPOPC) for Lagos State on Tuesday said that Nigeria was overdue for a census for effective management of the country’s populace.

    Speaking at an Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) exercise in Lagos, Salu-Hundeyin said that the country would continue to live in darkness developmentally wihout a census.

    “Because without accurate data, no government can manage the people and government must have data to know how many children are being born, how many schools will be needed, how many hospitals, how many workforce are in town.

    “This is how to manage a nation successfully; the rate at which we are going, it is a tough job for anybody to manage this country wihout a census,” she said.

    The commissioner said that NPOPC would have wanted census every 10 years as obtained in other countries but the Census Act and the Constitution did not allow that.

    “We have written to the federal government and we are showing our preparedness by the EAD, the birth registration and other things that we do.

    “But until government gives a proclamation, we can not hold a census and it is over 10 years now because the last census was in 2006.

    ““Until it becomes a law like the election, we can not impose it on the federal government; right now Nigeria is overdue for census,” she said.

    She said that the EAD was being conducted to obtain data at desegregated level and also serve as a pre-censors activity and a foundation on which the census stand.

    “Therefore, the EAD is a passport to sustainable development and censors is the visa to modern livability of any nation.

    “So people must show interest and cooperate with us and that is why we are going around on advocacy to let our people know that the EAD is as crucial as the census.

    “Also, while the EAD is going on, we also do what is called continuous birth registration of every child who are below the age of five for free.

    “By doing so, we are trying to ensure that we at least have accurate data of people in the country, particularly Lagos State,” she said.

    Salu-Hundeyin said that the commission had covered five local government areas in Lagos and would be covering other area as the EAD proceeds.

    “This is the fifth EAD exercise we are doing in Lagos State, before now we had done Mushin, Shomolu, Agege and Ikeja, now we are doing Surulere Local Government,

    Ahmed Apatira, Chairman, Itire-Ikate LCDA urged residents to cooperate with the NPOPC officials by giving them the accurate numbers of people living in each house.

    “The enumeration will be the beginning of good living for the people of Itire-Ikate because taking it, good things will come to this council.

    “Like the boundary adjustment because our council is choked between Coker-Aguda, Surulere and Mushin Local Governments and the number of people in the council is far greater than all these other councils.

    “We want the people to cooperate and give EAD officials the accurate number of people living in each house in the neighborhood,” he said.

  • Zambia conducts census on goats

    Zambia conducts census on goats

    The Zambian government has conducted a census on goats in the country.

    At the end of the census which was conducted in 2017, it was discovered that Zambia’s total goat population stands at 3, 476,790, reports Lusaka Times.

    The census was conducted in 2017 by the Central Statistical Office in collaboration with the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.

    The results of the census come at a time, Zambia has entered a bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia to export one million goats to the Arab nation per year.

    Saudi Arabia is said to want to import a further 1 million sheep from Zambia.

    Already, they are concerns that the deal may not work out.

    Zambia’s 2016 census puts the nation’s population at 16.5m, according to Wikipedia.

  • Reps tell FG to fix date for census

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to fix a date for national census scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2019.

    This followed a motion under “Matters of Urgent Public Importance” by Rep. Ossy Prestige (Abia-APGA), on the need to conduct census for proper planning and development in Nigeria.

    Moving the motion, the lawmaker quoted the United Nations Fund for Population Activities as saying that Nigeria had a dynamic economy and large population expected to double in the next two decades.

    He said that census is a pivotal and necessary tool for the growth of any emerging society, which in turn informed decision-making at all facets of public and private sector.

    Prestige pointed out that the last census was held in 2006, and that the nation’s population then was estimated at 140, 431, 790, with estimated growth of less than three per cent yearly.

    He said that 12 years after the census, the current population of Nigeria was not known, but the recent estimate by the present Chairman of National Population Commission (NPC) put the population at 297 million.

    The lawmaker expressed concern that the lack of up-to-date and accurate data on population in Nigeria had affected national planning and development at all levels that culminated in human and agricultural insecurity in Nigeria.

    He said that a census based on biometric data would capture all Nigerians, adding that it would also help to solve problems of infiltration and internal security including kidnapping, terrorism and armed robbery.

    The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara.

    The House, therefore, urged the government to make provisions for census funds in 2019 Budget and also appealed to international communities to support same.

    It further asked the Federal Government to mobilise the NPC for the completion of Enumeration Area Demarcation and preliminary preparation of the census.

    The House also mandated its Committee on Legislative Compliance to liaise with the NPC for strict compliance and report back to it for further legislative action.