By Claudia Redwood-Sawyerr
The Director of Communications and Public Relations Statistics Sierra Leone, Samuel Ansumana, has disclosed that preparations are underway for the country’s Population and Housing Census scheduled for December 2026.
Speaking at the Falaba Civic Day Town Hall on 24th March, 2026, Ansumana explained that the institution’s core mandate involves data collection, analysis, and dissemination to support informed decision-making by government and development partners.
“One of our most important constitutional responsibilities is conducting the Population and Housing Census every 10 years. The next census will take place in December 2026,” he said.
He noted that preliminary activities are already ongoing, including a nationwide cartographic mapping exercise. According to him, this process involves identifying and mapping all structures, capturing GPS coordinates, and conducting preliminary household counts.
“This is not the actual census, it is preparation. The actual population count will happen in December 2026,” Ansuma clarified, adding that cartographic mapping is critical in ensuring that no structure or household is left out during the enumeration process, including buildings under construction.
He further revealed that three key committees have been established to oversee the process: an Advisory Committee comprising political parties, a Technical Committee responsible for methodology and tools, and a Publicity Committee co-chaired by the Ministry of Information.
Ansuma also disclosed that a pilot census was conducted in December 2025 in line with international standards, with observers from organizations such as the United Nations Population Fund and the UK Office for National Statistics monitoring the exercise.
Providing details on the timeline, he announced that the main census will begin on December 2, 2026, with Census Night set for December 1.
“It is important to understand that you will be counted where you sleep on Census Night. You do not need to move anywhere” he emphasized.
He explained that the approach is designed to prevent double counting, noting that individuals will be recorded based on their location on Census Night, regardless of subsequent travel.
“We count everyone present in Sierra Leone on that night, citizens and non-citizens alike. The census is a snapshot of the population at that specific time,” he said.
Ansuma urged all residents to make themselves available to be counted, stressing that the process is inclusive and aimed at ensuring that no one is left behind.
