The Director‑General of the National Orientation Agency, Dr. Garba Abari, announced that the 2023 National Population and Housing Census will be conducted digitally to ensure greater credibility and efficiency. He made the statement during an appearance on the News Agency of Nigeria Forum in Abuja on Sunday. As a member of the National Publicity and Advocacy Committee on Census, Abari emphasized that this census will differ markedly from previous ones because it will be facilitated by digital technology.
According to Abari, the National Population Commission has refined house listing and numbering to a level that surpasses even Google’s mapping capabilities. “In terms of specificity and the correctness of capturing every house and hamlet in Nigeria, the NPC has gone far beyond what Google has done,” he said. While acknowledging that absolute perfection is unattainable, he noted that “99 percent of all houses and structures within Nigeria’s territory have been captured digitally, far beyond what Google can provide in terms of specificity.”
The NOA chief explained that digitising the census will enhance credibility, ensure accurate data collection, and align the exercise with modern global practices. “Digitalisation will enhance credibility because there is a common template for the exercise, and that is all that will be sent to the cloud,” he said. He contrasted this approach with previous censuses, which were often viewed through a regional lens—some states, local governments, or senatorial districts appeared larger than others, leading to missed opportunities for comprehensive data collection essential for planning.
Abari concluded that the 2023 census will be a scientific, digital exercise that reflects today’s information and technological revolution. It aims to deliver credible, acceptable, open, and transparent data for effective national planning.
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