Historizing Population Census and the Question of National Development in Nigeria

Authors

  • Chinda C. Izeoma Department History and International Diplomacy, Faculty of Humanities, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt
  • Dumle Callistus Nekabari Department History and International Diplomacy, Faculty of Humanities, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31150/ajshr.v6i3.3378

Keywords:

Population, Census, National development, Population census, Politics, Ethnicity

Abstract

The issue of’ demography is very critical and essential in the growth and development of any country such as the projection for public health facilities, unemployment, aging population, mortality rate, growth rate, school enrolment, agriculture among others. However, in Nigeria population census has always been politicized for fear that it would be used as an index for religious affiliation and to determine the number of registered voters during election. Also, quiet alarming are the general human and environmental poverty, the4eclining quality of life and the underutilized as well as barely tapped wealth of human resources as a result of the inadequacies of the population census. This paper therefore, argues that population census  provide statistics that-affords the country the opportunity to plan for its citizens and concludes that accurate and trustworthy population, census baring falsifications would put Nigeria in a better pedestal for development.

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Published

2025-03-14

How to Cite

C. Izeoma, C., & Callistus Nekabari, D. (2025). Historizing Population Census and the Question of National Development in Nigeria. American Journal of Social and Humanitarian Research, 6(3), 555–569. https://doi.org/10.31150/ajshr.v6i3.3378

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