Historic Census Milestone: Sierra Leone Secures All 29,000 Tablets Without Borrowing
Sahid Bangura Statistician General of Statistics Sierra Leone, Andrew Bob Johnny, has confirmed that the government has purchased 29,000 tablets for the country’s 2026 Population and Housing Census, describing their delivery as a major milestone in preparations for the national exercise.
Johnny made the disclosure in Freetown on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, while delivering his opening remarks at the launch of a 10-day training workshop for census master trainers and data quality managers.
He said all the tablets required for the census were now in the custody of Statistics Sierra Leone, adding that they had been purchased by the President, the Government and the people of Sierra Leone rather than borrowed.
The Statistician General expressed satisfaction with the development, noting that questions about the arrival of the equipment had been a major concern in recent weeks.
However, he cautioned that the availability of technology alone would not guarantee a successful census, emphasising that the equipment must be supported by adequately trained personnel who understand both the census questionnaire and the devices.
He said the ongoing training was intended to ensure that census personnel were properly equipped to use the technology and follow approved procedures during data collection.
Johnny also confirmed that national cartographic mapping had been completed, describing the achievement as another important step towards the December census.
The mapping exercise identifies communities, localities and structures and divides the country into manageable enumeration areas. It also provides the geographical framework for assigning census personnel and monitoring coverage.
He said the mapping outcome report had also been completed, adding that the preparatory activities were helping to position the country for a more effective census.
The Statistician General urged master trainers to ensure that census personnel across Sierra Leone apply consistent standards, maintain professionalism and treat respondents with respect, patience and impartiality.
He further stressed that the census would require public cooperation irrespective of political affiliation, ethnicity, religion or social status.
Census Night is scheduled for December 1, 2026, while the counting exercise is expected to begin on December 2.
Johnny assured the public that information collected during the exercise would be kept confidential and secure and used exclusively for statistical purposes.
The census is expected to generate population and housing data to support national planning, policy formulation and resource allocation.