Freetown, 1st December 2025- The Government of Sierra Leone has unveiled three landmark initiatives aimed at transforming national data systems and strengthening accountability in governance. The launch, held at the Bintumani International Conference Centre in Freetown, introduced the 2026 Population and Housing Census, the Sierra Leone National Development Tracker (SL‑NDT), and the Power of Data Initiative.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of President Julius Maada Bio, Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh described the initiatives as milestone achievements that directly support the country’s Medium‑Term National Development Plan (MTNDP 2024–2030).
“These tools will ensure radical inclusion and enable government to plan and allocate resources more effectively to meet the needs of citizens,” Dr. Sengeh said.
Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Madam Kenyeh Barlay, emphasized the importance of modernizing Sierra Leone’s data ecosystem to improve service delivery and build citizen‑centred governance.
“With accurate data we can plan better; with better planning we can deliver better; with open data we can build trust and strengthen accountability; and with citizens at the centre, we can create the prosperous and inclusive Sierra Leone we all envision,” she noted.
The event drew strong support from international partners. UNICEF Representative Rudolf Schwenk praised the SL‑NDT as a technological advancement that enhances transparency and guides resource allocation, while UNFPA Country Representative Kunle Adeniyi described data as “a national resource that belongs to the people,” stressing that the initiatives will move Sierra Leone “from guesswork to precision.”
Statistician General Andrew Bob Johnny called on citizens, traditional authorities, and community leaders to fully support the census process, underscoring its central role in shaping Sierra Leone’s development trajectory.
Lead consultant Dr. Jeeveeta Soobarah, who presented the National Development Tracker, highlighted its role in closing planning gaps, improving accountability, and aligning Sierra Leone’s reporting with global frameworks.
The launch concluded with a call for national participation, urging citizens to cooperate with census enumerators, engage with the MTNDP Dashboard, and embrace the Power of Data Initiative as tools to build a more inclusive and accountable Sierra Leone.
