Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) has met with the Irish Embassy in Freetown to discuss plans and support for the 2026 Population and Housing Census (PHC ’26).
The meeting is part of ongoing efforts to bring international partners on board for a smooth and successful census process.
The discussion took place at the Embassy of Ireland on Saint Joseph’s Avenue, Off Spur Road in Freetown. It brought together key representatives from Stats SL, the Irish Embassy, and the United Nations Population Fund Activities (UNFPA).
Among those present were Andrew Bob Johnny, Statistician-General of Stats SL; Carol Hannon, Head of Development at the Irish Embassy; Sibeso Mululuma, Officer-in-Charge at UNFPA Sierra Leone; and Abdulai Salliah Brima, who serves as both National Census Coordinator and Director of Censuses & GIS at Stats SL. They were joined by Edouard Talnan, Chief Technical Adviser for PHC ’26; Alfred Kamanda, Director of Finance at Stats SL; Samuel Palmer from UNFPA’s Quality Assurance team; and Samuel Ansumana, Director of Communications and Public Relations at Stats SL.
During the session, Johnny shared updates on the preparation stages for the 2026 Census. He explained that the Government of Sierra Leone has already committed more than $22 million toward the process. This funding will support key areas like mapping all communities across the country, raising public awareness, purchasing IT equipment, and handling general planning and logistics.
Despite this investment, Johnny also mentioned that there is still a funding gap of $15 million. He called on development partners and private sector actors to step in and help support this national activity.
In response, Hannon spoke on the value of good data for development. She said the Irish side would review the request and consider ways they might offer support, either through funding or technical help.
Mululuma also shared her thoughts, pointing to the possible role of Ireland’s own statistical agency in offering support. She confirmed that UNFPA remains fully involved in managing and coordinating any support from partners for the 2026 Census.
The meeting ended with a shared understanding of how important the next steps are. All parties expressed readiness to work together to help deliver a well-organized and reliable census for Sierra Leone in 2026.