Mr Jalingo, who asserted the preparedness of the commission for the 2023 census, said the NPC had prepared the ground for the first-ever digital census in Nigeria.

The National Population Commission (NPC) says the 2023 Population and Housing Census was postponed due to the government's transition programme and the post-election mood in the country.

Inuwa Jalingo, the 2023 Census manager and director, National Population Commission (NPC), said this at a news conference in Abuja on Sunday

Mr Jalingo, who asserted the preparedness of the commission for the 2023 census, said the NPC had prepared the ground for the first-ever digital census in Nigeria.

He said the commission had achieved topmost success in all ramifications in terms of the preparation.

"We achieved the international standard for a digital census.

"About 450,000 digital gadgets were procured and distributed to all the local governments," he said

Mr Jalingo said, however, that government was a continuous process, hoping that the incoming administration would build on the successes recorded for the eventual conduct of the census.

The Census Manager lauded the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for its support, saying the commission had successfully trained about 60,000 facilitators across the country.

"Anyone saying we are not prepared must be saying that out of ignorance," he said.

Mr Jalingo reiterated the benefits of census which were not unconnected with national economic planning and the provision of data for administrative planning.

He said the commission was able to mobilise Nigerians for the Census with every information required for a successful census.

The NPC had postponed the Population and Housing Census earlier scheduled from 3 May to 7 May indefinitely.

(NAN