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The 2023 population and housing census, which was originally set for March 29th, has been moved to May 2023, according to Minister of Communication and Culture Lai Mohammed.
This was confirmed by Lai when he briefed State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the minister, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) decision to postpone the governor and state assembly elections from March 11 to March 18 was the driving force behind the decision to move the census.
He also revealed that the council had given the National Population Commission (NPC) N2.8 billion to purchase some software for the census.
"A message from the National Population Commission asking for software to perform the census in May of the current year was given. They can't start the census as planned, in my opinion, due of the rescheduled elections.
"They asked the council for permission to enter into a contract to buy software for the census for the sum of N2.8 billion," he claimed.
