The National Population Commission (NPC) says next year census in Nigeria will be fully digitized.
The NPC announced this during an inspection tour of RLG Adulawo Technology City, Ilesa, Osun State to work out a partnership deal on the production of electronic devices for the conduct of a digital census in 2023.
The Information Communication Technology (ICT) Committee of the NPC, were at the RLG production and assembly plant, where they were taken through an inspection and workings tour of the facility of the company.
Chairman of the Commission’s ICT committee who is also the Federal Commissioner representing Adamawa State, Dr Zirra Cliford told newsmen, after the inspection, that the tour was to work out a deal with the company to produce devices that would be used for the next year’s census.
Dr Clifford argued that Nigeria’s next year’s census would set the pace in Africa.
“We are a pacesetter, so we are going to conduct a digital census for the first time in the history of Nigeria or the history of Africa (most likely).
“We want to do it right the first time and always. That is why we want to only associate with people that can give us value, the value that can help improve our work,” he said
He however.stated that they were still in talks with the company to work out modalities on the partnership deal.
Speaking earlier before the tour, the Executive Chairman of RLG, Mr Razaaque Animashaun, commended the NPC for the tour, saying it is a convincing move in the direction of encouraging local content.
Mr Animashaun said if the government could promote such partnership, it would aid the growth of local industries and take millions of Nigerians out of the unemployment net.
He said the company had demonstrated such capacity when it collaborated with the Osun State government to train 20,000 young people, some of who are employed by the company, while others had set up their businesses of mobile phones and Laptop repairing.
Reporting by Adenitan Akinola; Editing by Abdullahi Lamino