Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL), in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has officially launched the 50-day countdown to Census Night for the 2026 Population and Housing Census, intensifying efforts to ensure a credible, inclusive and accurate national count.
The countdown was announced during a high-level media engagement held at the Miatta Civic Centre, Youyi Building, in Freetown, bringing together government officials, development partners, media representatives and other stakeholders involved in the census preparations.
Census Night is scheduled for 1 December 2026, with the counting process expected to begin on 2 December.
Speaking at the event, Statistician General of Stats SL, Andrew Bob Johnny, outlined key milestones achieved in preparation for the exercise, including the completion of cartographic mapping, the pilot census, the July 2026 Mock Census and the arrival of electronic tablets for data collection.
He reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to conducting a credible and accurate census, urging citizens, community leaders and the media to support the process. He also assured the public that information collected during the exercise would be treated confidentially.
Johnny stressed the importance of counting every person and household, emphasising that no individual or community should be excluded from the national exercise.
UNFPA Deputy Country Representative Sebeso Mululuma commended the Government of Sierra Leone, Stats SL and the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development for the progress made towards the census.
She highlighted UNFPA’s continued technical and financial support, the arrival of 25,000 electronic tablets, the successful completion of the Mock Census and the dissemination of the national cartographic mapping outcome report as important milestones.
Mululuma said quality, inclusion and public trust would be critical to the success of the census. She called on community leaders, civil society organisations, political stakeholders and the media to intensify public education, counter misinformation and encourage citizens to participate in the exercise.
Chairman of the Stats SL Council, Moses William, also urged journalists to play an active role in informing the public about the census, stressing the need for sustained, accurate and responsible reporting as Census Night approaches.
In her keynote address, Minister of Planning and Economic Development Keneh Barlay underscored the importance of the census to Sierra Leone’s national development priorities, noting that reliable population and housing data are essential for effective planning, resource allocation and improved public service delivery.
Barlay emphasised the need to reach all communities, particularly remote settlements and persons with disabilities, in line with the census commitment to leave no one behind.
She urged citizens to cooperate with census personnel, welcome enumerators into their communities and provide accurate information when approached. She added that the data gathered would guide government policies, development programmes and decisions aimed at improving the lives of citizens.
The official remarks were followed by a press briefing, during which journalists questioned the speakers on preparations for the census and related implementation issues.
With Census Night set for 1 December and counting scheduled to begin the following day, Stats SL and its partners are calling for broad public cooperation to ensure that every person and household is accounted for.
Under the campaign message, “Census 2026: Leh Den Kont You Ooh!”, the institutions are urging the public to recognise the importance of participating in the national exercise.
The post 50 Days to Go: Government Steps Up Preparations for 2026 Census appeared first on Sierraloaded.