President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the postponement of the 2023 Population and Housing Census, originally scheduled for May 3-7, until a new date is determined by the incoming government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The decision was made following a meeting held on April 28, 2023, which reiterated the critical need for the census, 17 years after the last one was conducted. Despite progress made in preparation for the census, including the recruitment and training of adhoc workers and the completion of the Enumeration Area Demarcation, the postponement was deemed necessary to ensure the accurate and reliable collection of up-to-date data that will drive the developmental goals of the country and improve the living standard of the Nigerian people.
The commission will spend approximately N2.8 billion on the census, which will be the first to be conducted in 17 years.