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By Bashir Bello, KANO

The National Population Commission on Wednesday said it is embarking on a test run of digital devices and others to be deployed for the conduct of the 2023 census exercise.

The Commission’s Chairman, Nasir Isa Kwarra made this known while briefing newsmen in Kano after declaring open a state level training workshop for field personnel expected to conduct the exercise.

Kwarra represented by the Federal Commissioner, Kano State, Dr. Ismaila Lawal Sulaiman said the test run of the digital devices became imperative as it that the country is about to witness the first ever use of digital in conduct of the 2023 census hence the need to ensure conduct of error free exercise.

According to him, “This is the first census to be conducted in Nigeria using digital device. So because it is the first time, unlike in the past or previous when we use questionnaire, pen and paper, and then later we write the outcome, this time around, we are using handheld device (tablet), we decided to test run devices.

“The commission has intensified preparatory activities deploying technological innovations on a massive scale to conduct a truly scientific census that will not only be accurate and reliable but also transparent and acceptable to all nigerians.

“As you are aware, the commission has carried out the demarcation of the entire land mass of Nigeria into small Enumeration Areas that can be covered by a team of enumerators, and the first and second pretests to test the census instruments.

“The trial census, which is also known as the “Census dress rehearsal”, is another key preparatory activity for the census. It is a process in which all census operations are tested in a detailed and comprehensive manner. This takes place as a matter of best practice about a year before the actual census date to assess the scenarios that may be presented during the main census.

“In line with the approval of the Federal Government, the trial census will be conducted from 27th June to 30th July, 2022. The trial census will be conducted in one local government area in one state in each of the six geo-political zones and one supervisory area in 3 LGAs in each of the three senatorial districts in the remaining 30 states and the FCT.

“In total, 7,718 EAs have been selected for the trial census to test run suitability and readiness for the actual census in 2023.

“Also, the commission will use a total of 14,461 field functionaries which comprise of 13,461 enumerators, 1,000 facilitators for the trial census.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Trial Census is not the actual enumeration of persons for the 2023 population and housing census. In other words, the outcome of the trial census will not form the basis of the 2023 census. Data generated during the trial census will not be used to arrive at figures for the 2023 census, which is going to be zero-based and form information collected in April 2023,” Kwarra however stated.