The National Population Commission (NPC) has reportedly disclosed that a whopping sum of N200 billion has been expended over the course of eight years in preparation for the census.

The Director of Public Affairs for the National Population Commission (NPC), Isiaka Yahaya, has refuted claims that the commission spent a large sum of money in recent years. Yahaya stated that the commission has been making preparations for the census since 2014, and therefore, the insinuation that the sum was spent in the last few years is inaccurate.

During a press conference held on Friday in Abuja, he made this statement.

The Daily Trust Saturday has reported that Nigeria's census, which was supposed to be conducted in accordance with United Nations guidelines since 2016, has been postponed for various reasons since its last occurrence in 2006.

Investigative report reveals that a whopping sum of N200bn has allegedly been expended on preparations for the 2023 Census. It has been discovered that the aforementioned fund was not utilised in recent weeks, months, or even years. Shockingly, it has been revealed that the fund has been in use since 2014, during the initial stages of preparation for the highly anticipated 2023 Census.

It has been revealed that a portion of the N200 billion was spent prior to the current commission's arrival. This commission was inaugurated twice between 2018 and 2020, and even before the Buhari Administration began. These findings raise questions about the allocation and management of funds prior to the current commission's tenure.

According to Yahaya, a significant amount of money was allocated towards various preparatory measures to guarantee the accuracy and legitimacy of the upcoming operation.

According to his statement, a significant portion of the spending was allocated towards the demarcation of the country into enumeration areas, which facilitated the clustering process and subsequently provided the country with valuable data on the number of houses present.