Sierra Leone’s 2026 Census Faces $19 Million Funding Gap as Government Seeks Media Support
Alex Fefegula Harding Sierra Leone’s 2026 census budget has increased to more than US$46 million, while Statistics Sierra Leone says it still needs additional financing to complete preparations for the nationwide exercise.
The funding requirement was disclosed by Samuel Ansumana, director of communications at Statistics Sierra Leone, during a media engagement in Freetown on Oct. 29. He told journalists that an additional US$19 million was needed to complete the census operation.
The engagement was organized by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, Statistics Sierra Leone and the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, with support from the United Nations Population Fund. A second session was held in Makeni on Oct. 31.
Ansumana presented the census budget to journalists, saying the government was the largest contributor to the exercise. The disclosure was intended to improve transparency around preparations for the December count, according to the Ministry of Information.
However, figures published in separate reports raise questions about how the remaining funding requirement is being calculated.
A Nov. 3 report by The Informant said the census budget had increased from US$37.9 million to more than US$46 million, with the government contributing US$15 million. The report attributed the increase to inflation, expanded logistical needs, and additional technology requirements.
The Times Sierra Leone reported Nov. 4 that development partners had pledged a combined US$1.535 million, comprising US$235,300 from UNFPA, US$587,325 from Ireland and US$712,800 from Iceland.
Those figures do not, on their own, explain how the US$19 million additional requirement disclosed at the Oct. 29 engagement was calculated. Statistics Sierra Leone has not provided a publicly reconciled breakdown in the reports reviewed.
The media engagements also focused on the role of journalists in explaining the census and countering false information ahead of the exercise.
Information Minister Chernor Bah urged reporters to treat public education as part of their responsibility, saying accurate reporting would help build confidence and address misconceptions.
The Ministry’s Strategic Communications Adviser, Mohamed Jaward Nyallay, discussed the spread of misinformation and disinformation, while Director of Civic Education and Citizen Engagement Timothy Sam said media organisations should remain involved throughout the census process.
Sierra Leone Association of Journalists Secretary-General Edward Marah also pledged the association’s support in addressing misinformation and helping the public access reliable information.
Census Night is scheduled for Dec. 1, with nationwide enumeration beginning Dec. 2. The United Nations Population Fund says the exercise is planned to run from Dec. 2 to Dec. 16.
The census will use digital data collection, with 25,000 electronic tablets procured for field operations, according to UNFPA.
The population count is expected to provide information for national planning, including decisions on public services and the distribution of resources. Authorities have urged residents to cooperate with census officials and seek clarification from Statistics Sierra Leone or the Ministry of Information when they encounter uncertain claims.