Why National Census Wasn’t Held In Nigeria Since 2006–NPC

The National Population Commission (NPC) had failed to conduct national census in the country since   2006 because of lack of funds  and political reasons,  Chairman,  Public Affairs committee, NPC,  Dr Eyitayo Oyetunji, has submitted.

The United Nations had  recommended  that ‘national census’ be held by countries of the world every 10 years.

Team@orientactualmags.com  learned he said this during the luncheon held with editors and journalists in Abuja at the weekend.

Oyetunji , who is the commissioner representing Ogun state, said the 2016 election was shelved by the former President Goodluck Jonathan, due to political reasons.

‘After the successful conduct of 2006 national census, the next census was to be held in 2016, and the commission  had started preparing for the census. All the arrangements were in place and they met with the president at that time in 2014 to state their intentions but he said he doesn’t know if he will be in office by then and if he wanted to do it, Nigerians will misunderstand him and say he wanted to use the census as a conduit pipe to fund the elections.

It was not because he didn’t want to do it but because of the circumstances he found himself and as he said, he lost the election and a new government came in 2015. There was nothing anybody could have done to make that new government conduct a census in 2016, they too needed time to prepare and get the right team to do the census, they did that and the first tenure ended. By the end of the tenure, they said that as soon as they come back, they will be ready. Unfortunately, COVID came in and there were no resources, there was insecurity and people were not able to move around. These are the practical reasons why the census was moved to where we are’ he said.

 Oyetunji  added that the commission  would be leveraging on technology to ensure that  the census is credible, inclusive and acceptable.

 Chairman of the commission, Nasir Isah Kwarra, said 2023 is a good opportunity for the country to know how to channel development strategic as the census will provide data that would be useful for policy making.

He said the commission is committed to conducting the national census, reasons  why it had demarcated 773 local governments to make the exercise seamless- Team@orientactualmags.com
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