President Julius Maada Bio has reportedly said the Government of Sierra Leone requires US$61 million to conduct the country’s 2026 Population and Housing Census.

Table Of Content

Cost comparison
Financing and data concerns
History of census criticism

The figure was reported by The Sierra Leone Telegraph, which calculated the proposed cost at roughly US$7 for each person based on an estimated population of about 9 million.

Cost comparison

The report compared Sierra Leone’s stated per-person figure with estimates it cited for recent census exercises in Ghana and Kenya. Ghana’s cost was put at about US$2.7 per person, based on a population of around 31 million, while Kenya’s was cited at approximately US$3.8 per person, based on a population of about 47 million.

The source did not provide the methodology or supporting documents behind those comparisons. It also cited Sierra Leone’s GDP per capita as below US$900, including an estimate of about US$846 for 2025.

Financing and data concerns

According to the report, President Bio stressed the importance of accurate population information for planning and called for the funding shortfall to be addressed urgently. He also urged development partners to speed up the release of financial support.

“Reliable data is essential for planning,” Bio was quoted as saying. He also said, “We must urgently close the financing gap,” and called on development partners to “accelerate disbursement.”

The report said about US$24 million had reportedly been disbursed toward the census. However, the source’s wording does not make clear whether the amount refers solely to funds disbursed or includes pledged funds.

History of census criticism

The proposed exercise comes amid longstanding concerns over the credibility and use of census data. The Sierra Leone Telegraph said the 2015 census was widely criticised by the then opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party, other political parties and civil society groups over allegations that figures had been politically manipulated.

It also reported that the 2021 mid-term census faced condemnation and scepticism from ECOWAS, the European Union, international observers, domestic civil society and members of the public. The concerns cited in the report included methodology, inclusiveness and credibility.

The source said population figures can influence constituency boundaries, political representation and the distribution of public resources. It called for greater transparency and independent oversight of the census process, while presenting concerns about political effects as assertions rather than established findings.

The exact date of the 2026 census was not provided in the report. No official budget breakdown, implementing agency or donor terms were identified in the available information.