Sierra Leone's Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, has urged citizens to cooperate with census officials during the upcoming 2026 National Population and Housing Census. On November 3, 2026, during the Civic Day Series Townhall in Kabala, Bah addressed residents on preparations for the nationwide census, emphasizing the importance of accurate population data for effective national planning and development. He encouraged residents to provide accurate information and allow enumerators to carry out their duties when they visit households.
According to Minister Bah, December 1, 2026, has been designated as census night, while the actual enumeration exercise will begin on December 2. He explained that enumerators would visit households to collect information about everyone who spent census night at each location. Citizens who travel to another district after December 1 in the hope of being counted there would not change the location where they are officially recorded. Bah used an example to explain how the process would work, noting that a person who spends the night in Kailahun but travels to Kambia the following day will still be counted in Kailahun.
Minister Bah cautioned citizens against unnecessary movement after census night, stressing that the location where they spend the night will determine where they are enumerated. He highlighted the use of digital tablets during the census, saying the technology would strengthen transparency, accuracy and accountability. The digital system is intended to reduce opportunities for manipulation by census personnel and improve the reliability of the information collected.
Approximately 30,000 census personnel are expected to be deployed across the country to conduct the exercise and ensure that individuals are properly accounted for. Bah explained that accurate population data is essential for effective national planning and development. He noted that census information helps the Government understand the country’s population distribution and determine how public resources, infrastructure and development projects should be allocated across different communities.
The Minister rejected suggestions that the 2026 census was politically motivated, stressing that the census had no connection with the outcome of the 2028 general elections. He described it instead as a national exercise intended to provide reliable population information for development planning. Bah encouraged residents of Kabala and citizens across the country to cooperate with census officials and provide accurate information.
Public cooperation is essential to ensuring that the exercise produces credible data to guide national development and the equitable distribution of resources. The Minister's call for cooperation comes as the Government prepares to undertake a major exercise that will impact the country's development trajectory. The census information is also expected to support decisions on public services and other development priorities.
The 2026 census is a critical national exercise that requires the cooperation of all citizens. Minister Bah's efforts to educate the public about the importance of the census and the process involved are crucial to its success. The Government's ability to collect accurate population data will depend on the cooperation of citizens, who must provide accurate information and allow enumerators to carry out their duties.
Key points
- Minister Chernor Bah urges citizens to cooperate with census officials during the 2026 National Population and Housing Census.
- The census will use digital tablets to strengthen transparency, accuracy and accountability.
- Accurate population data is essential for effective national planning and development in Sierra Leone.
