President Buhari Approves Postponement of 2023 Census

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the postponement of the 2023 Population and Housing Census, earlier scheduled for 3-7 May 2023, to a date to be determined by the incoming Administration.

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).

the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha.

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

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,The President further directed the Commission to continue with preparations for the conduct of the 2023 Population and Housing Census in order to sustain the gains already recorded and provide the basis for the incoming administration to consolidate these achievements.

In arriving at the decision to postpone the Census, the meeting reiterated the critical need for the conduct of a Census, 17 years after the last one, to collect up-to-date data that will drive the developmental goals of the country & improve the living standard of the Nigerians.