The National Population Commission(NPC) says it has concluded arrangement  to conduct trial census in June 2022, in 4,068 selected Enumeration Areas(EAs) in Nigeria.

Nasir Isa Kwarra, Chairman of NPC, who  stated this at the Master Trainers Workshop for the Trial Census held in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State,explained that the  exercise would cover 36 States and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, adding that six LGAs would be selected from six States in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria for full population enumeration while forty-five (45) EAs would be selected from each of the thirty-one states.

According to him,4,068 Enumeration Areas have been selected for the Trial Census to test run their suitability and readiness for the actual census scheduled to take place in April,2023.

He explained  the essence of the exercise,saying trial census is one of the pre-census activities,in which all census operations are tested in a detailed and comprehensive manner.

According to him, “Trial census takes place, ideally and as a matter of best practice, one year ahead of the actual census date, when major external circumstances, such as season (weather), holiday periods, school year schedule, etc. can be expected to be like when the census proper will be conducted.

“The trial census tests all phases of the main census, from planning to the execution of the plans, logistics arrangement and management, questionnaire design and format, training procedures, fieldwork operations, publicity, payment system, data processing, data tabulations and analysis.”