2016 Census to cost N273bn

Nigeria is to spend about N273billion on a proposed census to be conducted in 2016, so says the chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC) Mr. Eze Iheoma.
Iheoma stated this on Monday when he led other commissioners of the NPC to Aso Rock to brief President Muhammadu Buhari on the commission’s state of affairs.
He explained, that out of the said amount, N10billion would be needed immediately.
Special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina noted in a statement that at the briefing, President Buhari directed government agencies to harmonise the collection and usage of biometric data in the country, instead of replicating their efforts in this regard.
Adesina said Iheoma briefed the president on what will be required for the commission to conduct a national census next year, 10 years after the last exercise, as stipulated by the United Nations.

Read also: Lack of funds threatens 2016 census

He said, “A national population census, the chairman said, would cost about N273 billion, while about N10 billion of the amount would be needed immediately.
“He told the president that a biometric-based census was being proposed because it will eliminate multiple respondents, and ghost respondents, while making the outcome easy to audit”.
On the harmonisation of the collection and usage of biometric data in the country, Adesina said Buhari noted that it would be cost effective and also help in giving credibility to the electoral process.
He further said the president stated “that all the agencies should work collaboratively, instead of going in different directions, stressing that adequate data was necessary for planning and development in any country”.

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