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…