The National Population Commission (NPC) says plans are on to give Nigeria a reliable number of its population in the forthcoming census.
According to the agency, a minimum of 700,000 functionaries would be trained for the exercise.
In an effort to ensure that the forthcoming national census is seamlessly achieved, there is a plan to spend ₦2.77 billion on internet and connectivity for transmission of census data.
The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba made this known during a high-level partners engagement to seek support for the 2023 census.
The minister revealed that the National Population Commission (NPC) needed ₦869 billion for the census.
According to him, the government committed ₦291.5 billion, with an additional ₦327.2 billion needed.
Read Also: Kidnappers Demand ₦70m Ransom From Ex-Deputy Gov‘s Family
Also the minister said that the main census exercise will last for five days with an average cost of ₦12,018 per person per day.
A total of ₦53.18 billion was planned for the main census exercise.
However, the NPC recently announced that it would perform a digital census for three days, which would commence on May 3 and end on May 5 across Nigeria.
This, according to the commission, will be in line with the United Nations’ recommendations for the 2020 round of census that countries should leverage the digital tool for the conduct of the census.
Internet Problem Sorted
The NPC confirmed its preparedness in February 2023, as it received over 100,000 electronic devices and Personal Digital Assistance for the conduct of a successful and credible digital population and housing census.
The commission also seeks ₦60.75 billion to acquire 405,000 additional local content tablets and accessories for the census exercise.
Ahead of this exercise, it conducted a trial census with field works in six states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in July 2022.
The commission had identified poor network areas across the country and was already in touch with the Nigerian Communications Commission with a view to finding a solution to them.
The spokesperson for the NPC, Ishaya Yahaya, said the agency had mapped out areas with poor networks.
According to him, the commission was in discussions with the NCC to resolve grey areas ahead of the 2023 census.
You should also read: Top 10 Nigerian Movies To Watch For The Easter Holiday
Yahaya noted that “there is no problem with the internet.
“In places where there are no networks, the enumerators will take responses and input them into tablets and later move to where there is a network and transmit the data.
“We had even done network mapping, so we know which areas have a network or not.
“We are also having discussions with the NCC to see how we can improve on network availability ahead of the census”.
WATCH: HOW NAIRA SCARCITY CRASHED A WOMAN’S BUSIENSS IN LAGOS
