The National Population Commission (NPC) revealed that it has spent around N200 billion on the preparation of the 2023 Population and Housing Census.
The Commission’s executive chairman, Nasir Kwarra, announced this during breakfast on Thursday.
The NPC boss also said the money spent is part of the 800 billion nairas expected from the federal government as the total budget to conduct the census.
Nasir said the amount covers the cost of more than five years of preparation for the exercise, adding that about a million people have been recruited to conduct a reliable digital census and acceptable.
The NPC boss also stated that the cost of doing a digital census is high because the commission will purchase the equipment and data needed for the census. “It is important to maintain the pace of census preparation. The purpose of the commission is to lay the groundwork for future censuses,” Kwarra said.
He then assured Nigerians that the APN was committed to ensuring a reliable census.
Also speaking at the event, census official Inuwa Jalingo said the committee worked hard to conduct the digital census.
Jalingo added that the commission is ready to ensure a robust dashboard and quality data for the exercise. Recall that in April, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the postponement of the census, previously scheduled to take place nationwide from May 3 to May 5.
Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed, who announced the postponement in a statement, said the new census date would be decided by the new administration.
