Africa’s philanthropic organizations and the organized private sector have pledged its readiness to support the federal government in its forthcoming population census exercise.
Delivering his goodwill remarks on behalf of the Organised Private Sector and African Philanthropic Organisations at the federal government’s high-level donor engagement on Nigeria’s 2023 housing and population census in Monday in Abuja, Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Tony O. Elumelu, said the upcoming census marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s development, as it provides an opportunity to collect accurate and reliable data on the country’s population and housing, which will serve as a vital tool for policymakers, private sector actors, and civil society organizations.
Nigeria’s National Population and Housing Census hold from March 29 to April 1 2023.
The last time Nigeria conducted a census was in 2006.
He said: “We the Nigerian philanthropic organisations and private sector are ready to support and complement the efforts of the Nigerian government in this most important exercise.
“We believe that by working together, we can achieve our shared goal of obtaining high-quality data that will inform evidence-based decision-making and positively impact our nation’s development.”
While noting that population growth and development are inextricably related in Nigeria, the Founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation, said the exercise was critical for the country as it would help policy makers to properly plot the country’s developmental path, economic growth, and society’s goals.
It is projected that Nigeria’s population will hit 450 million by 2050 making the country the third most populated country in the world.
Elumelu told those present at the venue of the event that with the politicization of census figures it was important that the process is credible as it is a determinant of how resources are allocated in the country.
“It behoves on the National Population Commission to assuage such sentiments with an excellent census exercise.
To repeat, it is important that the Census outcome is credible, acceptable and does not lead to any further controversies.
“Population figures have ramifications for revenue allocation, office allotment, legislative power and even elections. The stakes are therefore high for various interest groups – we need to act for our nation as a whole and the next generations.
“Nigeria needs a credible and extensive population enumeration exercise.
“The census will affect how we allocate resources in Nigeria and so many other important decisions, so it is important that the process is credible and above board.
He urged the National Population Commission to overcome the challenges of credible, transparent, verifiable and accessibility and gives Nigerians a census that they can trust.
A credible exercise and outcome should be a source of pride and a demonstration of our capacity and intent.
