Buhari Suspends National Census, Incoming Govt To Determine New Date

The incoming administration will now determine the new date.

This was revealed in a statement by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Saturday.

He said Buhari approved the postponement after meeting with some Federal Executive Council members and the National Population Commission (NPC) Chairman and his team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday, April 28.

The NPC Chairman, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, paid an official visit to President Buhari on Friday to brief him on the level of preparedness of the Commission for the 2023 National Census.

“In arriving at the decision to postpone the census, the meeting reiterated the critical need for the conduct of a Population and Housing Census, 17 years after the last census.

“This will help to collect up-to-date data that will drive the developmental goals of the country and improve the living standard of the Nigerian people,” the minister quoted the president as saying.

According to the minister, Buhari commended the methodology being put in place by the Commission to conduct the census, especially the massive deployment of technology capable of delivering a world-class census and laying a sustainable basis for future ones.

The minister added that the president has further directed the Commission to continue preparing for the exercise to enable the incoming administration to consolidate the achievements.

Recall that the Census was earlier scheduled for March 27 but was shifted to May 3 due to the postponement of the gubernatorial elections to March 18.

Victor Ezeja

Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.