DRC Plans First Full Census Since 1984 With 145,000 Roles

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is preparing to conduct its first full national population and housing census in more than four decades, replacing paper questionnaires with tablets, digital maps and connected data systems.

The operation, known as the second General Population and Housing Census or RGPH-2, is expected to reach the population-counting stage in July 2027.

Before that can happen, teams must map the country and divide it into areas that census workers can cover. Officials say this national cartography phase will expand into the provinces from October 2026 and should be completed before the end of December.

The project could also become one of the DRC's largest temporary employment operations. The Bureau central du recensement plans to recruit approximately 130,000 enumerators, plus controllers and supervisors, bringing the expected field workforce for the population count to about 145,000.

However, those 145,000 positions are planned roles, not vacancies that are all currently open.

Why is the census such a major event?

The DRC last completed a nationwide census in 1984, when the country's population was estimated at about 30 million.

Since then, the country has experienced rapid population growth, new provinces and cities, repeated displacement, refugee movements and major changes in where people live and work.

Without a recent census, national and provincial authorities have largely depended on demographic projections and estimates. Those figures can be useful, but they cannot show with the same precision how many people live in a particular neighbourhood, territory or village.

That information affects everyday decisions.