DR Congo plans to conduct second national census after 40 years

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is preparing to conduct its second general census, more than 40 years after the last one in 1984.

On Monday, 23 March, authorities in Kinshasa convened major donors for a roundtable aimed at mobilising financial support for the upcoming population and housing census.

The objective is to secure firm commitments from all partners to raise the resources required for the operation, now deemed a national priority by the presidency.

“To continue planning without reliable data would be like governing without visibility,” said Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi.

According to officials, nearly $210 million in pledges have been made, exceeding the estimated budget of $192 million. Part of the funds will also support the electoral process and strengthen the National Statistics Institute, in addition to financing the census.

The first phase of the operation, mapping, could begin as early as July 2026.

The stakes are high: the last official census data dates back to 1984, when the country’s population was around 30 million, compared with more than 110 million today, according to estimates.

Participants at the roundtable underscored the need to complete the census in order to better align public policies with conditions on the ground.