The Gambia is gearing up to conduct its first-ever digital Population and Housing Census (PHC) from May 25 to June 14, 2024. This significant milestone, organized by The Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS) in collaboration with government stakeholders and development partners, marks a crucial step towards providing essential demographic, social, and economic data for national development planning.

Financial and technical support for the census has been secured from the government of The Gambia, the World Bank, United Nations Population Fund, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The census, conducted every ten years, aims to collect comprehensive statistics on population demographics, social and economic characteristics, household and housing information, vital for planning various social services such as education, health, housing, and sanitation.

The 2024 PHC aligns with The Gambia’s National Development Plan (2023-2027) and contributes to monitoring continental (Africa Union Agenda 2063) and global (Agenda 2030) development agendas. To ensure the accuracy and efficiency of the census process, a pilot census was conducted in selected districts of each region from March 5th to March 24, 2024, testing the overall census methodology.

During the actual census period, field workers will visit households between 8:00 am to 7:00 pm, identifiable by census Identification Cards (IDs), T-shirts/caps/uniforms, and protective clothing carrying the GBoS logo. Recruitment for census field officers will be conducted online, with details to be announced when the registration system is ready.

All individuals residing in The Gambia during the census period, including those in households, institutions, outdoor sleepers, and transit populations, will be counted. The success of the census relies on the cooperation of the general public, making it a national exercise involving every citizen.