Facts About 2023 Population & Housing Census You Should Know

Nigeria's 2023 National Population and Housing Census [PHC] will be unique as this will be the first digital census not only in Nigeria but also in Africa. The National Population Commission (NPC) has stated that it will be adopting the Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) methodology as part of the 2023 National Population and Housing Census.    According to them, this will greatly reduce the use of paper forms, making a significant contribution to the environmental and climate impacts of a census.

The CAPI will also reduce, if not eliminate, sampling errors as well as non-sampling errors from the census exercise. The NPC believes that each Nigerian and all foreign nationals residing in Nigeria during the census reference period are important and should be counted, hence the "currency" it adopted. 

Also, check [NPC Ad-hoc Staff Recruitment 2023: Step By Step Guide On How To Apply]

✍ Post Contents ✍

• What is Population and Housing Census?
• How the Population and Housing Census affect you as a Nigerian
• History of Census Taking in Nigeria
• Post IndependentNigeria Census History
• 2023 National Population and Housing Census
• Will the NPC deliver a Credible Population and Housing Census this time?
• FAQ
• Conclusion 

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What is Population and Housing Census?

Population and Housing Census, PHC entail the complete enumeration of all persons and the housing census is the complete enumeration of all living quarters and their characteristics, within Nigerian borders at a specified period. Furthermore;

Population Census

According to the NPC field officers manual, a population census is a total process of collecting, compiling, evaluating, analyzing, and publishing or otherwise disseminating demographic, economic, and social data at the smallest geographical level appropriate pertaining at a specific time, to all persons in a country or in a well-delimited part of a country. On the other hand

Housing Census

A housing census is a total process of collecting, compiling, evaluating, analyzing, and publishing or otherwise disseminating statistical data relating to the number and condition of housing units and facilities as available to the households pertaining, at a specific time, to all living quarters and occupants thereof in a country or in a well-delimited part of a country.

How the Population and Housing Census affect you as a Nigerian

The 2023 PHC just like every other census exercise is not their "wahala", it concerns all of us as our well-being as a people depends largely on it.  This is because no country plans and makes budgetary postulations in a vacuum. A plan's success or failure is most times premised on the quality of data upon which it was made.  Some people from different regions of the country cry about marginalization in political appointments and representation, budgetary allocation, and citing developmental projects and social amenities such as health facilities, schools, clean drinking water, and sanitation.  The reason why the lopsidedness in the allocation of resources exists is 'data'. Now is another opportunity to rewrite the wrongs by making sure that you and your entire household make yourselves available to be enumerated. 

The data derived from this census exercise will serve as the basis for economic planning and national development. The PHC will provide key information about persons, households, localities, and the nation under three categories

1. Population Characteristics

• Age and sex
• Living and working conditions
• Distribution across the country, states, LGAs, localities, and urban/rural areas
• Marital status, educational attainment, employment status; type and nature of the job

2. Household and housing characteristics 

• conditions of housing
• structural characteristics
• sources of energy and 
• drinking water, among others

3. Availability of facilities

• such as schools
• hospitals
• ICT
•  financial institutions, etc.

History of Census Taking in Nigeria

Census taking is not a new phenomenon in the country and around the world. Population Census was first conducted in the area known today as Nigeria in the year 1866 by the British colonial government within the Colony of Lagos. There were also decennial censuses conducted only for Lagos Colony in the years 1871, 1881, and 1901 respectively. Ten years later in 1911, the census exercise covered the Southern Protectorate including Lagos. The 1911 census-taking had a wider coverage as it involved the whole of Southern Nigeria. This was possible because in 1906, five years before the census, Lord Fredrick Lugard who was the Governor-General of Nigeria merged the Lagos Colony with the Southern Nigeria Protectorate.

The amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Nigeria Protectorates in 1914 by Lord Lugard and the enactment of a Census Ordinance in 1917 brought remarkable changes to the conduct of censuses in Nigeria as it paved the way for the conduct of the first nationwide census in 1921.

The next census was in 1931, which was the second nationwide census that was not comprehensive in its coverage. This was because only six towns including Lagos and 201 villages spread across the country were covered. Estimates from existing tax records were used in compiling the figures from other places. The 1931 census was affected by the world economic depression and the numerous tax riots in Calabar and Owerri provinces in the then Eastern region. The situation prevented enumeration in the major towns of these areas. In some parts of the Northern Provinces, the locust invasion that year resulted in the diversion of some census staff to perform locust control duties.

In 1941, the census did not take place because of the Second World War. The census exercise resumed with the conduct of the 1951/53 census after the Second World War. The census in Northern Nigeria was conducted between May and July 1952 while it was conducted in the West and Midwest in December 1952 and January 1953. In the Eastern part of the country, the census was conducted from May to August 1953. The lack of universality and simultaneity of the census taking made it difficult to aggregate the census data nationally. 

Post Independent Nigeria Census History

Four post-independent censuses were conducted in 1963, 1973, 1991, and 2006. The 1973 census was, however, canceled. The first Census that integrated the housing component was conducted in 2006, during which persons and housing units were enumerated. The 2006 Census put the total population of Nigeria at 140 million.

2023 National Population and Housing Census

The Nigerian 2023 Population and Housing Census like the 2006 census consist of a population census and a housing census as one operation. The fieldwork was originally scheduled to commence on 5th February with Building Numbering and Household Listing, with actual enumeration billed for 28th March, to end on 2nd April 2023 will now take place between 3rd to 6th of May 2023. The Population Census will entail the complete enumeration of all persons and the Housing Census the complete enumeration of all living quarters and their characteristics, within Nigerian borders at a specified time. The information on the population and the housing characteristics can be readily matched and processed for analysis. This makes it possible to relate the housing census data to the information on demographic, social, and economic characteristics of each household member that is collected in the population census that will be carried out simultaneously in the 774 Local Government Areas of the country.  This data will form a baseline for economic planning and national development.

Will the NPC deliver a Credible Population and Housing Census this time?

The lack of trust in the agencies of government in Nigeria has led many into asking the question if the 2023 census can produce credible data or if it'll just be another jamboree; a complete waste of people’s time and taxpayer's money.  Will the NPC promise so much and deliver so little as was the case with INCE in the yet-to-be-concluded 2023 general elections?  While we keep faith in NPC and hope that they will deliver on their promises, it is important to take note of these features introduced into the 2023 population and housing census, PHC, and access the performance of NPC by it.  They include

1. The use of Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing [CAPI]: This device will ensure efficient data collection, management, and processing.

2. The use of Global Positioning System [GPS]: This will help the census enumerators in capturing the location/coordinates of all structures in an Enumeration Area [EA]

3. In addition to the 1 and 2 above, the NPC also introduced five new modules to the 2023 census and they are:

• ICT
• Fertility and Child Survival
• Mortality [Deaths in the Household in the last 12 months]
• Difficulties in performing activities
• Sanitation, and
• Climate Change

 FAQ 

What is the population and housing census?

Population and Housing Census, PHC entails the complete enumeration of all persons, and the housing census is the complete enumeration of all living quarters and their characteristics, within Nigerian borders at a specified period.

When is the rescheduled date for the 2023 population and housing census?

The Nigeria national population and housing census is scheduled to take place from the 3rd to the 6th day of May 2023.

Is population and housing census of any importance/benefit to the people or just a waste of taxpayers’ money?

The importance of national population and housing census cannot be over-emphasized, and according to the UNECE Sustainable Development Goal, Population and housing censuses are the foundation of statistical systems, providing benchmarks of a country's population and housing stock and baseline information for the production of other statistics.

Does the 2023 Nigeria Population and Housing Census have all the essential features of a modern population and housing census recommended by the United Nations [UN]?

Yes. The 2023 PHC has all five features recommended by the UN for a modern and acceptable population and housing census, which include: Individual enumeration, Universality, Simultaneity, Defined Periodicity and Capacity to Produce Small-Area Statistics

What is De-Facto Census?

A de facto census is an enumeration in which people seen are enumerated according to where they spent the night preceding the day of the enumerator’s visit. In other words, the 2023 PHC is said to be a de facto census because no one will be enumerated in absentia; only those who are physically present will be enumerated in their respective places of residence.

How will the use of Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing [CAPI] in the conduct of the 2023 population and housing census improve the credibility of the exercise?

The CAPI is expected to help the commission ensure efficient data collection, management, and processing. With the CAPI, the commission will receive real-time data and also minimize the data processing period so that processed data can be released shortly after field data collection. That is to say that with this introduction, we will not have to wait for years to know the outcome of the census exercise.

What is the full meaning of GPS?

GPS stands for Global Positioning System.

How will the use of GPS facilitate the 2023 census exercise?

The GPS on the PDA will allow for Geo-fencing of the enumeration area, which will make it impossible for an enumerator to omit any structure or household or stray into another EA outside the one assigned to him/her.

When was the first time Nigeria conducted a population and housing census?

The first census that integrated both the housing component and the person component was conducted in 2006, during which persons and housing units were enumerated. The 2006 Census put the total population of Nigeria at 140 million.

What is the full meaning of EA?

EA stands for, Enumeration Area.

What is Census Night?

Census night is the night proceeding the first day of enumeration. It is on census night that homeless persons are usually enumerated.

What is Census Reference Period?

The census reference period is the time from 00:00 [zero hours] of the first enumeration day May 3rd, 2023, to midnight [24:00 hours] of the last enumeration day.

What is a locality?

A locality is a distinct population cluster also designated as an inhabited place or settlement in which the inhabitants live and has a name or a locally recognized status.

What is the full meaning of PDA that will be used for enumeration?

PDA stands for Personal Digital Assistance. It is an ultra-portable hybrid computer that was specifically developed for the census exercise, and it will be used for house numbering, household listing, and person enumeration. So unlike what a census used to be, you will see the enumerators with tablets [PDAs] as opposed to the hardcopy questionnaires they used in past censuses.

What is a household?

A household consists of a person or group of persons living together, usually under the same roof or in the same building or compound, who share the same source of food and see themselves as a social unit with a head. The most important thing to note here is that the unit recognizes one person as the head of the household, and they share the same catering arrangement. A family setting can be made up of multiple households.

When is the 2023 population and housing census?

 The 2023 Census, scheduled for May 3–6, will be Nigeria's first digital census and will change how the census is conducted in Nigeria.

Conclusion

In the end, the success or the failure of this year's National Population and Housing Census is in the hands of Nigerians not just the National Population Commission and its enumerators and other ad-hoc staff that will be deployed for the exercise. Don't let anyone deceive you into believing that the census is a waste of time and that its outcome will not reflect the true number of people across the country. Don't allow anyone to make you believe that the population and housing census will be just like the general elections or that NPC is biased in favour of certain regions of the country. we all count and will be counted, and with assurances of the chairman, NPC, Nasir Isa Kwarra the commission will get it right this time

YOU COUNT, BE COUNTED

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