As authorities in the most populous nation in Africa seek up-to-date information on the precise population and the size of various ethnic groups, Nigeria will launch its first national census in 17 years at the end of March, an official said.
The United Nations projects that Nigeria’s population of more than 200 million will double by the year 2050. Nigeria would surpass the United States to become the third-most populous nation in the world.
Following disagreements among the three major groups, the Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo, earlier counts were deemed invalid.
Nigeria had originally planned to conduct its census in 2021, but officials decided to delay it due to general insecurity, particularly in the north where an Islamist insurgency and kidnappings for ransom have been on the rise.