Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has told the National Population Commission (NPC) to allow his successor to determine a new suitable date for the 2023 Population and Housing Census earlier scheduled for May 3 to 7, 2023.

Buhari gave the advice on Friday, April 28, 2023 at a meeting with some members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and leadership of the Commission led by its Chairman, Nasir Isa-Kwarra, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who announced this decision in a statement on Friday, April 28, 2023, said the decision to postpone the Census, was predicated on the need to conduct a Population and Housing Census, 17 years after the last Census, which would effectively collate up-to-date data.

He stated that such data will drive the developmental goals of the country and improve the living standard of the Nigerian people, informing that “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, appreciable progress has been made in the implementation of the 2023 Population and Housing Census”.

The outgoing President 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 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.

The statement said the meeting was attended by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha.