Journalists Briefed on 2026 Census Preparations
The Ministry of Information and Civic Education, Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) and the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) have concluded a series of media engagements in Freetown and Makeni to update journalists on preparations for the December 2026 Population and Housing Census.
The engagements, supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), focused on the importance of the census, operational preparations and the media’s role in providing accurate information to the public.
Speaking at the Freetown engagement, the Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, urged journalists to educate the public about the census and address misconceptions surrounding the exercise.
He described public education as an important responsibility of the media, noting that accurate reporting could help strengthen public trust in the census process.
Providing an update on preparations, Statistics Sierra Leone’s Director of Communications, Samuel Ansumana, outlined the government’s plans, procurement processes and operational readiness for the exercise. He disclosed that the government is the largest financier of the census and presented the budget to journalists as part of efforts to promote transparency.
Ansumana also said an additional US$19 million was required to complete the census operation.
Meanwhile, the Ministry’s Strategic Communications Adviser, Mohamed Jaward Nyallay, highlighted the risks posed by misinformation and disinformation, emphasising the media’s role in verifying information and ensuring that the public receives accurate updates.
The Director of Civic Education and Citizen Engagement, Timothy Sam, also described journalists as key partners in the census process. He said media participation at every stage was necessary to ensure citizens remained informed.
Representing SLAJ, Secretary General Edward Marah welcomed the early engagement with journalists and reaffirmed the association’s commitment to addressing misinformation surrounding the census. He described journalists as apolitical voices capable of helping the public access reliable information.
According to the census schedule presented at the engagements, Census Night is set for December 1, 2026, while enumeration is scheduled to begin on December 2 and continue through the end of the month.
The public has been encouraged to make themselves available for counting and verify census-related information through Statistics Sierra Leone and the Ministry of Information and Civic Education.
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