Government of Sierra Leone Prepares for 2025 Population and Housing Census

The Government of Sierra Leone has begun preparations for the next Population and Housing Census (PHC) which is set to begin on December 2nd, 2025. The proclamation for the census was made by His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio on September 9th, 2025. Activities under the census will begin on the night of 2nd December, 2025.

The PHC, which occurs every 10 years, is done to capture essential demographic, socioeconomic, and housing data that is used for research, policy making, and the development of the Sierra Leonean nation.

Purpose of the 2025 Population and Housing Census 

The data from the 2025 PHC will guide the implementation of various developmental programmes, primarily the 2024-2030 Medium Term National Development Plan (MTNDP). It will also support the country’s effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

The MTNDP is seen as “A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development and Job Creation.” It will be implemented for seven years, spanning from 2024-2030. 

The data from the census will support specific projects in the government’s ‘Big Five Agenda’ such as Feed Salone, Youth Empowerment Scheme (the creation of 500,000 jobs), Technology and Infrastructure, and others.

The 2025 census will be done using computer assisted personal interviews. Personnel from the Statistics Sierra Leone, the country’s data collection and management agency, will visit each household in Sierra Leone and take necessary information including the number of people in each house, their ages, employment situation, and other necessary information. This information will be collected using electronic tablets. 

“This census will provide reliable baseline data to assess the impact of critical development intervention on both these guiding instruments with a contemporary deadline of 2030,” says President Bio.

Images of Freetown obtained from Globosapiens.net

Challenges Faced from Previous Census Exercises

The previous Medium-Term Population and Housing Census experienced some challenges especially due to opposition strongholds boycotting the process. The main opposition party, All People’s Congress had opposed the census, citing its timing and linking it to the government’s strategy to secure a second term in office.

In Sierra Leone, censuses are conducted every 10 years, however the 2021 census came about five years after the previous. This resulted in contention, despite the government’s argument that it was carried out under powers granted to the president. 

Despite the challenges, Statistics Sierra Leone proceeded with the census and announced the results upon its conclusion. However, the opposition along with many others described it as a “botched census.”

This 2025 PHC appears unlikely to encounter similar issues, as circumstances differ from the previous one. 

Sponsors of the 2025 Population and Housing Census

Previous censuses in Sierra Leone were jointly funded by the government and development partners. However, due to various factors, including planning issues, the World Bank withdrew its sponsorship of the previous 2021 Medium Term Population and Housing Census at the last minute. As a result, the government had to solely fund it. 

A similar situation might occur in the 2025 PHC as the president has stated that the government will commit significant financial and logistical resources to support this census. Additionally, the government plans to collaborate with esteemed partners including various UN agencies and the United States Census Bureau.