Seventeen years after the last national census (2006), Nigeria is set to conduct a fresh green census.
The green census, an approach to conducting a census that causes little or no damage to the environment, is said to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and helps in combating climate change.
The enumeration exercise, which is scheduled to hold between 29 March and 2 April across 774 local government areas of the country, is expected to gulp a total of N869 billion.
But according to Nigeria’s Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, the government has only committed about a quarter of the sum.
Nigeria’s population
Nigeria’s population is estimated to be about 216 million according to the United Nations population agency, UNFPA and according to statistical projections, if the country continues in its current direction, there will be a 100 per cent increase in its population by 2050, that is an 400 million people.
Speaking at a high-level partners engagement in Abuja on Monday, Mr Agba said the census will be conducted in partnership with various development partners including the UNFPA, and EU, amongst others.
Funding
The minister noted that a total of N869 billion ($1.88 billion) will be required for the exercise, including post-census activities; N626 billion ($1.36 billion) for the census at $6 per capita and N243 billion ($527 million) for post-census activities up to 2025.
Mr Agba noted that the government has committed N291.5 billion ($632 million) representing 46 per cent of the total funding needed for the exercise.
He, therefore, invited various development partners including network providers to support the government with funding.
Credit: premiumtimesng.com
