Banjul, September 17, 2024-The Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS), with immense support from UNFPA and other key partners, has officially launched the 2024 Digital Population and Housing Census Preliminary Report. This event held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center in Bijilo was presided over by HE the Vice President of The Gambia, Mohammad BS Jallow, senior government officials, UN officials and other partners. 

The Gambia Bureau of Statistics which unveiled the preliminary findings of the 2024 census indicates that The Gambia's population has grown by over 300,000 since the 2013 census, bringing the total to 2.4 million. Key highlights from the census include a gender-disaggregated population, with 1.24 million females (52%) and 1.19 million males (49%), reflecting the country's evolving demographic structure. 

UNFPA played a critical role throughout the census process, providing technical and financial support to ensure the successful deployment of digital tools for data collection. This transition to digital technology, the first of its kind for The Gambia, has enhanced the efficiency and accuracy of data gathering, enabling more precise demographic insights that will inform policy and decision-making across various sectors.

Speaking at the launch amongst a host of other dignitaries, Ndeye Rose Sarr, UNFPA Country Representative, highlighted the importance of the census in shaping national development strategies. She emphasized that the census provides critical data  that informs national planning,  development strategy  and  invaluable insights of demographic trends. Ms Sarr called on stakeholders to make use of the data to spur development for the Gambian people. 

It is essential that  we  understand and use this  information to   ensure inclusive and equitable growth and sustainable development. We invite all partners to ensure useful briefs are extracted from this wealth of data.

The UN Resident Coordinator, Karl Fredrick Paul echoed similar remarks while stressing the importance of the population data to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

UNFPA's support to the census is in line with its commitment to promoting sustainable development and ensuring that no one is left behind. The agency will continue to collaborate with the government and other partners to strengthen the use of data for development planning, as The Gambia moves towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

You can access the preliminary report here: https://unf.pa/3B8sv9Y

Media contact:  

Fatoumata Cham, Programme Analyst, Communication (fcham@unfpa.org)