Nigeria to use digital maps, questionnaires, cloud computing in 2023 census – Minister

Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, had said that the 2023 population and housing census will involve the use of digital maps, questionnaires and cloud computing.

Mrs Ahmed said this on

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Monday at a meeting between high-level partners aimed to seek support for the conduct of the 2023 census in Abuja.

She said that the count method would ensure compliance with the global climate change campaign for the reduction of emissions by

30 per cent unconditionally and an additional 15 per cent conditionally by 2030.

According to her, almost two decades on, it has become imperative and urgent for Nigeria to conduct another census as clearly spelled out in the National Development Plan

2021 to 2025.

“This month marks 17 years since the last national census was conducted in Nigeria in 2006, by the United Nations standard, PHC ought to be conducted every 10 years,” she said.

The minister said that there was a need to address the inconsistency in the nation’s census and statistical system which limits the efficacy of development initiatives premised on obsolete data.

She said that a major challenge over the years had been the lack of inadequate funds to readily carry out such a huge project in the face of pressing needs for social welfare and human capital development.

“It is worthy to note that 60 per cent of the funding and other requirements for the 2006 census could not have been achieved without the invaluable support of the development partners, corporate bodies and other key stakeholders,” she said.

Also speaking, the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, said major activities had been successfully completed in preparedness for the census exercise.

“Demarcation of 773 Local Government Areas (LGA) into enumeration areas for the census, only Abadam LGA is yet to be demarcated and a hybrid enumeration strategy is being deployed for its demarcation.

Mr Agba said that the Federal Government had set up a Census Call Centre and Situation Room, conducted a trial post-enumeration survey, and convene a stakeholder’s conference at the national and state levels.