By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Population Commission (NPC) has revealed that the population of Nigeria currently stands at 206 million.
This was disclosed by the Chairman of the agency, Mr Nasir Isa Kwarra, while addressing a news conference on Tuesday.
The NPC chairman said: “In the absence of an actual census, we do projections. We have been doing projections. As of 2020, the estimated population is 206 million. That’s the current figure we are working with.”
The new projection is different from the previous figure of 200 million that the country quoted up from 180 million that was counted when Nigeria conducted its last census in 2006 during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Speaking on birth and death registration, he said: “In terms of birth registration, we have about 60 per cent. For death, we have about 30 per cent. We are trying to digitise the entire process. By the time we conclude it, we will improve.”
Clearing the air on the planned population census, he said: “At the appropriate time, the President will make the proclamation. We will be ready and carry Nigerians along. We have already commenced preparations.”
The NPC boss assured that the President Buhari-led administration would do the necessary thing in calling for a census.
While announcing the commencement of the Enumeration Area Demarcation exercise, Mr Kwarra said about 260 local government areas out of the 774 in the country had been fully demarcated.
He stated that the 11th phase of the exercise would begin on December 9, 2020, and end on January 20, 2021.
“Planning for the census is anchored on the EAD as the basis for estimating both the human and material resources required for the census. In essence, the success of a credible and accurate census depends very much on the quality and reliability of the EAD.”
He explained that the EAD exercise is not the enumeration of persons living in the country but a preparatory exercise before the census.
Mr Kwarra also said the NPC would be assisting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to create digitized maps of its registration areas for the first time as part of the EAD, noting that this collaboration would positively affect future elections.
The NPC chairman further stated, “It is important to state that the latest technology is being deployed for this EAD exercise, including the use of very high-resolution satellite imageries as the base map, the use of GPS for georeferencing and the use of GIS for data management.
“Also, personal data assistants (handheld devices/tablets) that include computer software for population estimation are being used for data capture.”
Modupe Gbadeyanka