President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the release of N10 billion to the National Population Commission (NPC) for the continuation of the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) in the remaining 546 Local Government Area of the country.

The Acting Chairman of the NPC, Dr Eyitayo Oyetunji, disclosed this in Abuja on Monday, October, 5, while briefing newsmen on the release of the funds and the update on the EAD at the NPC headquarters, according to The Nation. 

Per his address, the President also approved an additional N4.5 billion to be included in the 2021 Budget for completion of the exercise as part of the preparations for the next census.

It was gathered that President Buhari had described the country’s burgeoning population as frightening, saying by average estimates, Nigeria's population is close to 200 million.

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The president, who made the assertion at the commencement of a two-day retreat for ministers-designate in Abuja on Monday, August 19, 2019, urged the latter to join hands in finding solutions to the worrisome trend.

President Buhari said: “By average estimates, our population is close to 200 million today. By 2050, UN (United Nations) estimates show that Nigeria will be third globally, behind only India and China with a projected population of 411 million.

“This is a frightening prospect but only if we sit idly by and expect handouts from so-called development partners. The solution to our problems lies within us.”