Buhari consents to postponing the 2023 census.

The 2023 Population and Housing Census, which was initially slated for May 3–7, 2023, has been postponed with the approval of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (ret.), until a date to be decided by the incoming administration.

On Friday, April 28, 2023, in the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the President met with a few members of the Federal Executive Council and Nasir Isa-Kwarra and his staff, the chairman of the National Population Commission.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, released a press release on Saturday morning that included this information.

“In arriving at the decision to postpone the census,” the statement says, “the meeting reiterated the critical need for the conduct of a Population and Housing Census, 17 years after the last census, to collect up-to-date data that will drive the developmental goals of the country and improve the living standard of the Nigerian people.”

According to Mohammed, Buhari stated that significant progress had been achieved in the planning and execution of the now-postponed census, and he also praised the NPC’s technique for conducting an accurate and reliable count.

“The President noted that with the completion of the Enumeration Area Demarcation of the country, conduct of first and second pre-tests, the recruitment and training of ad hoc 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.

“He 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 statement added, “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 meeting was attended by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami; the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed; the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Mr Clem Agba and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha,” the statement concluded.

It was previously stated that there were signs that the census for 2023 may be delayed. There have been requests for the census to be delayed from various quarters for a variety of reasons, including inadequate planning, a lack of funding, supervisors’ lack of preparedness for the exercise, credibility difficulties caused by the scheduling, and security concerns, among others.