The National Population Commission (NPC) says the nation’s population growth rate hit 3.2 per cent based on an estimated population of 216 million.

NPC federal commissioner representing Enugu State, Ejike Eze, disclosed this on Wednesday at a lecture organised by the commission and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) University of Nigeria Enugu campus.

He said Nigeria was among the fastest growing population in the world and required periodic census for proper planning of development programmes.

According to him, Nigeria’s inability to conduct a population census within the last 17 years had created an information vacuum.

“This is because the data from the last census in 2006 has been rendered less useful for planning purposes,” he said.

Mr Eze said the preparations for the 2023 national census had advanced with the demarcation of the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

“There is also the need to ensure the implementation of poverty alleviation programmes driven by current data obtained from the 2023 census.

“This will improve the implementation of these programmes that target vulnerable populations and ensure that “no one is left behind,” he said.

On religion and ethnicity in the 2023 census, the commissioner said it was a deliberate plan by the commission to exclude them in questionnaires due to the sensitive nature of the issues.

“And also to save the census data from needless controversies and attention.”

He added that the overriding goal of the questionnaire was to generate data that would facilitate sustainable development planning.

The deputy vice-chancellor of UNN Enugu Campus, Dan Nwachukwu, described NPC’s collaboration with IDS as “timely and appropriate”.

Mr Nwachukwu said without an accurate and reliable census, it was difficult for the country to execute its planned programmes.

According to him, the lack of data was responsible for the failure to implement government policies.

In his remarks, Chuks Nwude, director, IDS UNN, said the topic: “Methodology and Processes of the Population and Housing Census” was timely.

He said the collaboration would help both parties to advance knowledge on the forthcoming census.

(NAN)