…Council of State Okays Exercise for April 2023

…Provisions Made for Exercise in 2022 Budget

… Last National Population Census Held in 2006

Fifteen years after the last national population census in 2006, Nigeria is set to conduct another exercise in April next year, shortly after the general election and a month before the newly elected President is sworn in.

The Council of State on Thursday resolved that the national population census would hold in April 2023.

The Council of State considered other issues especially bothering on the security situation in the country.

But, the national population census story was confirmed by Chairman of the National Population Commission, Mallam Nasir Kwarra, after the meeting of the Council of State which held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He further informed that the pilot census would be conducted in June this year immediately after the political parties had completed their primary elections.

Details of the approved 2022 budget show Nigeria will spend the sum of N177.33 billion on Population and Housing Census in 2022. Unlike in the past when people migrated back to their indigenous communitities for the purpose of the Census, the Population Commission Chairman had counselled Nigerians to stay where they are to be counted.

Census is expected to take place every ten years but that has not been so in Nigeria. It is expected that with advancement in technology and improved education of the masses of the people, the process of conducting the census will be smoother than it was in the past. Rendering advice on the issue of the population census is one of the statutory functions of the Council of State.

The Nigerian Council of State is an organ of the Nigerian Government. Its functions include advising the executive on policy making.

Membership of the Council include the President as Chairman and Vice President as Vice Chairman; all former Presidents, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice of the Federation and all former Chief Justices of the Federation; all state Governors and the Attorney General of the Federation.

The Council of State advises the President in the exercise of his powers with respect to the:
• National population census and compilation, publication and keeping of records and other information concerning the same;
• Prerogative of mercy;
• Award of national honours;
• The Independent National Electoral Commission (including the appointment of members of that Commission);
• The National Judicial Council (including the appointment of the members, other than ex-officio members of that Council);
• The National Population Commission (including the appointment of members of that Commission); and

It also advises the President whenever requested to do so on the maintenance of public order within the Federation or any part thereof and on such other matters as the President may direct.

Nigeria has a long history of census takings spanning over a century. The first census was conducted before the 1914 amalgamation of Northern and Southern protectorates in 1866. It was followed by series of other censuses.

Almost every census outcome has been marred by controversies. The first national census post-independent Nigeria was conducted in 1962. The 1962 population census covered the whole country and was undertaken simultaneously during the month of May. Although the census was given adequate publicity, the results were not acceptable to the regions on grounds of high politicization.

The refusal of the government to accept population census of 1962 prompted the 1963 population census which critics also claimed were arrived at by negotiation rather than enumeration. The result was contested at the Supreme Court which ruled that it lacked jurisdiction over the administrative functions of the Federal Government.

The 1973 Census conducted between November 25 and December 2 was not published on the ground of deliberate falsification of the census figures for political and /or ethnic advantages.

The 1991 Census was conducted under Decree 23 of 1989 which set up the National Population Commission. It was conducted all over the country from November 27 to December 2, 1991.This was the most scientific and most acceptable until the 2006 Population and Housing Census.

However, the 1991 census, which was carefully conducted, came up with only 87.5 million, whereas according to the World Bank the number should have exceeded 120 million. The discrepancy of 30 million provoked strong reactions among politicians in the country. It was also short of government estimates by about 20 million.

The last time Nigeria conducted a census was in 2006 and the result of that census put the population of the country at 140.43 million persons comprising 71.3 million Male and 69.0 million females.

According to the 2006 census, Kano had the highest population figures with 9.4 million persons, followed by Lagos with 9.1 million persons. Other states that made up the top ten states with the highest population figures according to the 2006 census were; Kaduna (6.1 million persons), Katsina (5.8 million persons), Oyo (5.5 million persons), Rivers (5.1 million persons), Bauchi (4.6 million persons), Jigawa (4.3 million persons), Benue (4.2 million persons) and Anambra (4.1 million persons).

Data from international organisations and statistical analysis platforms place Nigeria’s current population at figures higher than the NBS’s 200 million figure. World Bank Data places the population as slightly over 206 million in 2020, the United Nations Population Fund data says Nigeria’s 2021 population is slightly over 211 million with a 2.6% growth rate.

Knoema places the current population at 211 million persons. According to Statista, Nigeria’s current population is about 213 million and will grow to 233 million persons by 2025, an estimation slightly higher than the National Development’s Plan’s 2025 figure of 220 million people.