After Long Wait, NPC Gears Up For A Digital 2023 Census

In preparation for the 2023 Population and Housing Census, the National Population Commission (NPC),  recently unveiled an integrated call centre at its headquarters in Abuja

Executive chairman of the commission, Hon Nasir Isa Kwarra, while  unveiling the centre  explained that the inauguration of the centre, ahead of the actual enumeration of persons in April 2023,  is a clear indication of the commitment of the commission to conduct a people-oriented 2023 Population and Housing Census.

The census manager of the commission, Inuwa Jalingo, said the call centre is designed with a robust technology that can handle multiple calls and manage all call routing.

In a remark, the UNFPA country representative, Ulla Elizabeth Mueller, said the UNFPA is working closely with the Federal Republic of Nigeria to support the implementation of the 2023 Population and Housing Census and other key population and development activities in Nigeria.

Mueller noted that Nigeria boasts a century-old history of Census taking, which according to her, makes it stand out, especially in Africa.

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“After 16 years of waiting, Nigeria is ready to go again and now actively planning to conduct its next Census in April 2023.”

She maintained that the 2023 Census is the first fully digital census to be conducted in Nigeria, because it employs use of technology and methodological innovations to ensure collection of high quality and timely data.

The commission has also organised capacity building workshop for journalists on the 2023 Population and Housing Census with the theme: “Getting people involved”.

This is in addition to training workshop for enumerators and facilitators for the census.

The commission and the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in inter-agency collaboration to ensure the digitisation of the postcode system for a proper addressing of projects in Nigeria.

At the moment, the commission has commenced Trial Census scheduled to hold from June 27 to July 30, 2022 as part of overall plans for the April 2023 Population and Housing Census.

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The commission  has selected a total of 4,068 Enumeration Areas (EAs)  for June/July, 2022 Trial Census, to test-run their suitability and readiness for the actual Population and Housing Census.

The chairman of NPC said recently at a workshop that the Trial Census shall cover 30 states and the FCT, while six LGAs shall be selected from six states in the six geo-political zones of the country for full population enumeration, even as 45 EAs shall be selected from each of the 31 states.

However, the preparations for the 2023 Population and Housing Census is not without challenges. Only recently, the commission has to disown a recruitment 2022/2023’ portal, circulating in the social media, which invites Nigerians to apply to the commission, for employment for the Trial Census and the 2023 Census.

In a statement, the director of public affairs of the commission, Isiaka Yahaya, said the information on the recruitment portal is totally false, misleading and should be treated as a scam by fraudsters.