News
2023 Census Will Not Canvass Questions On Religious Affiliation —NPC
Joel Ajayi
The National Population Commission (NPC) has revealed that the 2023 census will not canvass questions on religious affiliation.
The Director, Public Affairs of NPC Isiaka Yahaya, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, stated this on Tuesday while debunking a viral WhatsApp audio claiming that the religious affiliation of a person will be canvassed.
According to the statement, our attention has been drawn to an audio tape going viral on the WhatsApp social media platform across the country which stated that the religious affiliations of respondents will be canvassed in the 2023 Population and Housing Census.
“The audio tape calls on Muslims in Nigeria to see the purported canvassing of information on their religious affiliations as a tool to suppress their population figures. It therefore instructed adherents of the Islamic faith to resist any attempt to divide the religion of Islam by refusing to answer any question on their religious affiliations.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission wishes to state unequivocally that the 2023 Population and Housing Census will not canvass questions on religion and religious affiliations of respondents.
“The decision to exclude religion along with ethnicity from the census questionnaire was taken in due consideration of the sensitive nature of these issues within the Nigerian polity and the need to save the census data from needless controversies and attention.”
The statement further said that a fact check on the origin of the purported message showed that it was first circulated in Ghana during its 2021 population census exercise through a Whatsapp message. “This negative message found its way into the Nigerian social media space in July 2022 when the Commission conducted the Trial Census. The re-circulation of the message in audio form as the Commission sets to conduct the 2023 Population and Housing Census in May 2023 is an indication that some elements are bent on drawing the 2023 Census into unnecessary controversies through propagation of falsehood and incitement of a section of the population to destabilize existing peaceful coexistence in the country.
“The Commission carried out extensive consultation with data users and stakeholders in coming up with the questions to be canvassed in the next census. The overarching goal of the questionnaire is to generate data that will facilitate sustainable development. The questionnaire is robust and include demographic characteristics of respondents and other socio-economic characteristics but without any question whatsoever on religion and ethnicity.
“Members of the general public are therefore enjoined to disregard the rumour of question on religious affiliation contained in the audio tape in circulation and extend maximum cooperation to the enumerators for the sake of delivering a credible, reliable and acceptable 2023 Population and Housing Census data for national development planning.”
News
“Youth Minister Visits Innoson to Boost Youth Training and Job Creation”
Joel Ajayi
The Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, and members of the Ministry’s team, paid a working visit to Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) in Nnewi, Anambra State.
The delegation was warmly received by Chief Innocent Chukwuma (OFR), Chairman and CEO of the Innoson Group, whose humility and steadfast commitment to Nigeria’s industrial growth remain a source of national pride.
The Minister commended Innoson’s pioneering role in local innovation and job creation, particularly its ventures in CNG vehicle production, tractor assembly, and other industrial initiatives that present vast opportunities for youth empowerment.
During the tour, the Honourable Minister interacted with young Nigerians who have benefited from Innoson’s technical training and apprenticeship programmes, including two outstanding young women now excelling as auto-technicians.
Their stories, he noted, exemplify the transformative power of skill acquisition and enterprise in shaping a self-reliant generation.
As an outcome of the visit, the Ministry will partner with Innoson to expand youth training, apprenticeship, and enterprise development programmes across the country, focusing on the automotive value chain and allied sectors.
The Minister also met with the Anambra State Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Patrick Agha Mba, to explore joint efforts between the federal and state governments in advancing the “1 Youth, 2 Skills” campaign. Both ministries reaffirmed their shared commitment to equipping young Nigerians with practical, income-generating skills that foster productivity, innovation, and self-reliance.
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