A census we can count on?👨👨👦👦
Issue #145: The issue of census trust in Nigeria is complex and multifaceted.
Hello Venturer,
Nigeria is preparing for its first-ever digital national census this year, expected to be the most expensive headcount in Africa's history, with a proposed budget of $1.88 billion (N896 billion). This critical national exercise, which occurs every ten years, has not been conducted in the country in 17 years. The goal is to provide accurate and reliable data on Nigeria's population. However, the question remains: can Nigerians trust the data?
The issue of census trust in Nigeria is complex and multifaceted. Due to Nigeria's history of data manipulation and falsification, Nigerians have raised concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the data collected and presented during the last census.
Furthermore, there are concerns that the census could be wasteful, given Nigeria's history of overspending. Instead of spending N896 billion on a potentially inaccurate census, funds could be better utilized in other areas such as infrastructure development, healthcare, or education.
Additionally, since this is Nigeria's first digital census, there are worries about the country's readiness to handle digitization. Recent experiences with elections and currency scarcity have highlighted Nigeria's unpreparedness for certain technological advancements.
Boluwatife Areola
Content Developer
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