The planned headcount has been delayed by uncertainty for the past twelve days, and there are signs that it might be changed as a result of budget issues and other logistical difficulties.
On Friday, rumors circulated that the National Population Commission may have to postpone the census once more due to financial difficulties.
The Federal Government intended to set up a basket fund to gather donations for the 2023 population and housing census, according to information released earlier in March by Minister of State for Budget and National Planning Clem Agba.
He said this during a high-level partner meeting in Abuja to solicit support for the census.
Agba had stated that N869 billion was required for the census, and that N291.5 billion had been committed by the government, leaving N327.2 billion still needed.
“The entire requirement for the census (including post-census activities) is N869bn ($1.88bn),” the minister had said. “Census requirement – N626bn ($1.36bn), which is almost $6 per capita (only barely above the threshold of up to $5 per capita); post-census (up to 2025) is N243bn ($527m).