The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved 2.8 billion naira for the procurement of software for the National Population Commission to conduct a national census in May 2023.
The minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this information on Wednesday.
According to Lai Mohammed, the 2023 population and housing census, earlier scheduled for March 29, has been shifted to May 2023 after the approval of 2.8 billion naira by the FEC council.
He explained that the decision was necessitated by the rescheduling of the governorship elections from March 11 to March 18.
He also acknowledges that the census is part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s plan to ensure that all citizens are counted and their demographic data collected accurately during this important survey. By investing in quality software, it will be easier to collect and store large amounts of information, which can then be used by government agencies when making decisions on policy or resource allocation.
FEC also approved Nigeria Agenda 2050, an ambitious plan aimed at increasing real GDP growth by 7%, creating 165 million new jobs, and reducing poverty levels in Nigeria significantly over the next three decades. The implementation of this agenda is expected to benefit not only people living now but future generations as well through improved access to health care services and education opportunities, among other social benefits associated with economic development.