Engaging the Census Preparation to Mitigate Post-Census Tensions

Barring the last-minute suspension of Nigeria’s housing and population census, scheduled to start on 3^rd May and end on 7^th May 2023, the country would have had a published figure of its demographics. Despite an expenditure of 200 billion Naira out of the budgeted 800 billion Naira for the exercise, that suspension relieved anxieties about the census. Many doubted the possibility of generating reliable and acceptable census data from the preparation for that exercise. Centrally, it is argued that the laws governing census are limited and deserve a review. Similarly, the systems of the National Population Commission (NPC) responsible for the Nigerian census have not been subjected to pre-census independent multi-stakeholder audits and integrity tests. The audits and integrity tests of the systems and other elements related to the census are crucial because the census and its figures in Nigeria have historically been a source of acrimony.

Hence, in this edition of the Nextier SPD Policy Weekly, we explore the census processes and points of critical engagements to reduce post-census tensions.

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