THE National Population Commission (NPC) has said it spent about N200 billion for the preparation of the 2023 population and housing census.

Nasir Kwarra, the NPC Executive Chairman disclosed this at a breakfast meeting on Thursday.

The NPC boss also said the money spent was part of the N800 billion expected from the Federal Government as the total budget for the conduct of the population census.

Kwarra said the money included the cost of more than five years of preparing for the exercise.

He said the cost of embarking on a digital census was high as the commission would be procuring equipment and data needed for the exercise.

Speaking on the preparation further, Kwarra said about one million personnel had been employed to conduct a credible and acceptable digital census.

“It is important to sustain the tempo of the preparation for the census. The focus of the commission is to lay a foundation for future censuses,” Kwarra said.

He, then, assured Nigerians that the NPC is committed to ensuring a credible census.

Also speaking at the event, Census Manager, Inuwa Jalingo said the commission worked hard to conduct a digital census.

Jalingo added that the commission was prepared to ensure a robust quality dashboard and data for the exercise.

In April, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the postponement of the census, which was earlier slated to take place across the country between May 3 and 5.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed who announced the postponement in a statement, said the new date for the census would be determined by the incoming administration.