#Headlines

Gambia to conduct first ever digital population & housing census

Dec 13, 2022, 10:05 AM

The Gambia is set to conduct a digital population and housing census for the first time in April 2023, according to the Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS) in a news release.

This will be the first of its kind

“The 2023 Population and Housing Census (PHC) will be implemented by The Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS) in collaboration with all relevant government stakeholders including development partners.”

The Gambia conducts its population and housing census in April 2013. The Population and Housing Census is conducted every 10 years in The Gambia.

“A national census provides the most detailed information on the population, its age structures, spatial distribution, socio-demographic, and the socio-economic characteristics of households, as well as housing conditions.”

“The Legal Authority for conducting the 2023 Population and Housing Census is the 2005 Statistics Act. This Law empowers the Statistician General to conduct statistical surveys (Nationwide Sample Surveys) when necessary and population and housing censuses every ten years.”

“The law restricts publishing particulars on individuals so that only aggregate data will be published. GBoS will ensure that personal details are protected and removed from any information used in its work or shared with other users.”

“The 2023 PHC will respond to the data needs of the National Development Plan (2023-2027) and provide data for monitoring regional (ECOWAS vision 2050), continental (Africa Agenda 2063) and Global agenda (Agenda 2030).”

“The digital 2023 PHC will involve the use of tablets for data capture instead of traditional paper questionnaires. The census will also use Geographic Positioning System (GPS) to capture the location of all structures. Advanced data quality assurance procedures, including the use of real-time data quality monitoring and enumeration tracking dashboard for complete and accurate data will be put in place for efficient and effective implementation of the census.”