Numerous civil society organizations have expressed disapproval over the prolonged delay in carrying out the national census, emphasizing that the lack of census data hampers effective planning for the nation’s progress.
During the previous administration, the National Population Commission under former President Muhammadu Buhari had proposed a substantial budget for the 2023 population and housing census, a significant portion of which had been disbursed. However, the census scheduled for May 2023 was postponed to allow for the new administration led by President Tinubu to contribute.
Despite a considerable period passing since Tinubu’s assumption of office, no new date has been announced for the census, prompting concerns about its impact on governance, economic strategies, and resource distribution.
In response to the situation, the President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Debo Adeniran, highlighted the detrimental effects of the prolonged absence of a census, particularly on national security and the equitable provision of services.
Echoing similar sentiments, public affairs analyst Dr. Emma Jimo emphasized the urgent need for a census to enable efficient resource allocation based on accurate population data within the country.