Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr has called on census enumerators and supervisors to uphold professionalism, transparency and integrity as Sierra Leone prepares for its 2026 Population and Housing Census.
Speaking at the opening of Statistics Sierra Leone’s (Stats SL) training programme for field staff assigned to Freetown, the Mayor stressed that accurate and credible data is essential for national development planning.
With Census Night set for 1 December 2026 and nationwide household enumeration running from 2 to 16 December, she reminded participants of their duty to deliver a transparent process that produces reliable information for Freetown and the rest of the country.
“This is a solemn responsibility, and we expect every enumerator to approach this work with the utmost seriousness, integrity and dedication,” Mayor Aki-Sawyerr said.
She emphasised that credible census data underpins informed decision-making, effective resource allocation and sustainable development across sectors such as education, health, housing and infrastructure.
The 2026 exercise will be Sierra Leone’s first fully digital Population and Housing Census. Enumerators will use tablets for Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) to collect data. Stats SL has received 25,000 tablets and accessories for the operation. A nationwide house-listing exercise is scheduled for 23–28 November to identify residential structures ahead of the main count.
Training for supervisors and enumerators began on 9 November 2026 and is running simultaneously across all 16 districts at hundreds of venues. The programme equips field staff with the technical skills needed for accurate data collection in urban, rural and hard-to-reach areas.
According to Stats SL figures, Sierra Leone’s population stood at 7,092,113 in the 2015 census and 7,548,702 in the 2021 mid-term census. Officials say the new count will provide updated demographic and socio-economic data to guide planning at national and local levels.
The census carries the public campaign message “Census 2026: Leh Den Kont You Oh!” Authorities have urged residents to cooperate with authorised field staff, remain where they spend Census Night on 1 December, and rely only on official information from Stats SL.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr’s remarks form part of wider efforts by government, Stats SL and partners including UNFPA to build public confidence and ensure accountability as the country moves toward the nationwide enumeration.
