Nigeria conducted a Population Census in 1991 and the data derived from the Census had been widely disseminated in various publications. In line with the United Nations' recommendations on decennial Censuses, a Census of Population and Housing in Nigeria is scheduled for the year 2005.

The strategies and plans of the Federal Government of Nigeria (represented by the National Population Commission) for the execution of the 2005 census project are all available on this site.

It is expected that once this census is undertaken, it would have firmly established the tradition of decennial censuses in the country. It will also hopefully generate good quality data, covering more demographic and socio-economic indicators than Census '91 and provide users with relevant data for planning, decision-making and evaluation of various intervention programmes.

A Census is an expensive exercise requiring commitment of enormous resources. As an emerging nation, Nigerian government alone cannot shoulder all the expenses to be incurred in the activities connected with the next Census. Support is therefore needed from International Donors, the Nigerian organized private sector and individuals to undertake this exercise.

The technical backstopping provided by the UNFPA Country Support Team, (CST), Addis Ababa and the former Chief Technical Adviser, Dr. G. B. Fosu, is warmly acknowledged, so is the continued support and commitment of the UNFPA in Nigeria to the Census project.

Excerpts from a foreword from the 2005 Population and housing census strategy and implementation plan, by Chief Samu'ila Danko Makama, (Ubandoman Pyem ), Chairman, National Population Commission Abuja. Click here to download the entire document.