2026 National Census, two other major Data-driven Development Initiatives Launched

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson

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On behalf of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh on Monday, December 1, 2025, officially launched the 2026 National Population and Housing Census alongside two landmark initiatives designed to strengthen development planning, modernize national data systems, and deepen accountability in governance.

The event hosted by Statistics Sierra Leone at the Bintumani Conference Center in Aberdeen, Freetown, introduced three national development tools namely: the 2026 Population and Housing Census, the Sierra Leone National Development Tracker (SL-NDT), and the Power of Data Initiative.

Delivering the welcome address at the launch which attracted strong government backing and robust support from development partners, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Madam Kenyeh Barlay, emphasized the need to modernize Sierra Leone’s data ecosystem to improve service delivery and reinforce citizen-centred governance.

She said: "With accurate data we can plan better; with better planning we can deliver better; with open data we can build trust and strengthen accountability; and with citizens at the centre, we can create the prosperous and inclusive Sierra Leone we all envision."

Speaking at the event, Statistics Sierra Leone's Statistician General, Mr. Andrew Bob Johnny expressed gratitude to government and partners for their sustained commitment to generating high-quality data for national development.

He underscored the importance of a credible, inclusive national census and called on citizens, traditional authorities, and community leaders to fully support the upcoming exercise, stressing its central role in shaping Sierra Leone’s future.

The Statistician General further urged citizens to cooperate with census enumerators, make use of the MTNDP Dashboard, and embrace the Power of Data Initiative as vital tools for building a more inclusive, transparent, and accountable Sierra Leone.

The UNICEF Representative Rudolf Schwenk praised the SL-NDT as a technological step forward that will boost transparency and guide evidence-based resource allocation.

Also, the UNFPA Country Representative Kunle Adeniyi described data as “a national resource that belongs to the people,” noting that the new initiatives will help Sierra Leone move “from guesswork to precision.”

Lead consultant, Jeeveeta Soobarah (PhD) who presented the National Development Tracker, highlighted its role in closing planning gaps, enhancing accountability, and aligning Sierra Leone’s reporting systems with global development frameworks.

Delivering the keynote address and launching the three initiatives on behalf of President Julius Maada Bio, Sierra Leone's Chief Minister, David Moinina Sengeh (PhD), described the initiatives as milestone achievements aligned with the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP 2024–2030).

“These tools will ensure radical inclusion and enable government to plan and allocate resources more effectively to meet the needs of citizens,” the Chief Minister said.

While delivering the vote of thanks at the event, Mr. Moses Williams, the Chairman of Statistics Sierra Leone's Council praised the attendees, the government of Sierra Leone, Statistics Sierra Leone leadership and staff, traditional leaders, the media and everyone that is supporting the work of Statistics Sierra Leone.

He reassured of the council's continued oversight to ensure that data quality is collected for national planning and development, and called on everyone to cooperate with enumerators for the conduct of a credible and inclusive national population and housing census in December, next year.

The ceremony which brought together Paramount Chiefs other traditional leaders, Civil Society Organizations representatives, the Mayor of Freetown, District Councils Chairpersons, members of the international community, selected school pupils, journalists, Government Ministers and their deputies concluded with a nationwide call for participation.

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