Population Census Administration in Nigeria

The number, size, and dynamics of population together with its spatial distribution are imperative for planning purposes. In Nigeria, and indeed, most developing countries where the number and distribution are essential, censuses, the primary source of population data are infrequently carried out. Hence, this chapter examines population census administration in Nigeria. The objectives are to assess politic of census and the possible way out of the challenges to census administration. Using secondary data and a qualitative analytical technique, it was observed that censuses were not only infrequent, but also faced with several challenges in conducting them. Prominent of these problems are the following: (i) poor organizational and managerial challenges, (ii) weak technological capacity, (iii) inadequate funding, and (iv) political problem. Also, this chapter reveals that some figures of the infrequent censuses were usually manipulated. In fact, a comparative analysis of 2006 census and the voters’ registration data conducted in the study showed that a series of anomalies occurred in the census. This is perhaps because of the political benefits attached population figures. Therefore, this chapter recommends that indirect techniques should be employed to generate population data to argument the available data generated through the census. This can greatly enhance the possibility of achieving some of the developmental goals in Nigeria.