The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, said the Federal Government has injected N291.5 billion ($632million) for the conduct of the 2023 population and housing census.
Agba made this known at the high level partners engagement to galvanise support for the 2023 population and housing census in Abuja.
This amount, the Minister said, was just 46 percent of the total sun the National Population Commission(NPC) would need to have a concrete exercise.
He added that an additional and immediate sum of N327.2 billion ($709.9million) is required to complete the census.
According to him: “The total requirement for the Census (including post Census activities) is N869 billion ($1.88b). Census requirement – N626b ($1.36b) which is about $6 per capita (just slightly above the threshold of up to $5 per capita). Post-Census (up to 2025) – N243b ($527m).
“So far, the Government has committed N291.5 billion ($632m) to the Census, making it 46 percent of total funding for the Census. An Additional (immediate) sum of N327.2b ($709.9m) is required to complete the Census.”
Agba further disclosed that the census exercise was to be conducted last year but rescheduled for March.
Hd however said there is a recommendation that it should hold in May, 2023.
He said: “The last Census in Nigeria was conducted in 2006. In 2014, the previous government proposed another census for 2016 in line with the UN recommendation for Decennial Census.
“That administration however exited in 2015 without accomplishing the wish. From 2015 to 2016 the country slipped into a recession due to crash in oil price and production.”
NPC Chairman Nasir Isa-Kwarra, appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari and Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed for their unflinching support and resources towards a credible census.
He called for support as the process approaches.