The 2023 population and housing census will hold before the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure as the exrcise has now been scheduled to hold between May 3 and 7, this year.
Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information, while briefing State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting t the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, confirmed the new date.
He said the decision was necessitated by the rescheduling of the gubernatorial election to March 18.
The minister said council approved the sum of N2.8 billion for the National Population Commission (NPC) to procure some software to be used for the conduct of the census.
“There was a memo presented by the National Population Commission, seeking for some software to allow them conduct the census in May this year. I believe because of the reschedulement of the elections, they cannot commence the census as scheduled.
“They sought Council’s approval for a contract to procure software for the census at the sum of N2.8 billion,” he said.
This is the first census which would hold after 17 years.
