According to a Guardian newspaper report, the 2023 National Population and Housing Census is set to commence on 3 May 2023. This was confirmed by Dr Garba Abari, a member of the Publicity and Advocacy Committee on the 2023 National Population and Housing Census. He said that the three-day exercise would commence from 3 May and end on 5 May across the country. He noted that the change in date was due to the postponement of the 2023 gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). 

A Population census not only ascertains the number of people but also provides information about a country’s demography, and the prevailing socio-economic conditions of the populace such as housing and general poverty levels. A reliable, credible, acceptable and successful census is important in assisting the government craft policies aimed at developmental plans, especially policies targeted at the more vulnerable in society. The data is also used by academics, businesses and charitable organisations. 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 is dated and unreliable for planning purposes. 

The last population census conducted in the country was in the year 2006 and the country’s population was estimated at 140.43million. The National Development Plan (NDP) estimates that Nigeria’s population currently stands at c.200 million, a 42.2% increase from the 2006 census. 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. Population censuses are typically conducted every 10 years. President Muhammadu Buhari while addressing the media on the importance of the 2023 census program noted that the nation requires a new data set to drive the implementation of the government’s developmental agenda while also noting that the exercise will help in tackling the numerous security challenges bedeviling the country. 

Nigeria’s previous population censuses have not been credible. Previous censuses have been marred by staffing and logistic challenges, political interference and the falsification of figures. In a country like Nigeria, there is an incentive for sates and regions to inflate population figures to get more government resources and for political representation in a federal system. Beyond the problem of credibility, reaching some regions in many remote places across the country can be a huge challenge. We doubt the census will in any way support efforts at improving security as census officials will likely avoid high risk places. That said, conducting a near credible election could provide a bedrock for effective policy making, planning and administration.