The Government of Uganda under the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) released the Preliminary results of the first-ever digital census on May 27 where Uganda's President Yoweri Kaguta Mueveni officiated as Guest of Honor. The census exercise launched in December 2023, and executed from May 10 to May 26, 2024, represented a leap forward in leveraging advanced technology to enhance service delivery and realize the goals outlined in Uganda Vision 2040.
According to the preliminary results, Uganda remains a youthful nation, with over half its population (50.5 percent) children aged 17 and under. The youth demographic (18 - 30 years) constitutes 22.7 percent of the total population, reflecting the country's demographic dividend and the need for targeted youth-centric policies.
The census preliminary results also revealed that women comprise 51% of Uganda's population, underscoring the gender dynamics crucial for inclusive development planning and implementation.
Led by UNFPA, The United Nations in Uganda played a pivotal role in providing technical leadership and support. Alongside UNICEF, WFP, and UNHCR, the support included capacity building, technical assistance, and financial resources to bolster Uganda’s National Statistical System.
Uganda, which has conducted eleven previous census surveys since 1911, implemented the 2024 survey as the sixth post-independence census. For the first time, the census utilized digital tools across five distinct questionnaires covering households, institutions, accommodation facilities such as hotels, the floating population, and community characteristics.
Dr. Chris Mukiza, Executive Director, Uganda Bureau Of Statistics, emphasized the significance of the preliminary findings, highlighting that Uganda's population growth has slowed to 0.1 percent per annum, a decline from the 3 percent recorded in the 2014 census. Despite this, the number of households has increased, and underlying demographic shifts have occurred over the past decade.
Speaking on behalf of the United Nations in Uganda, the UN Resident Coordinator Ms. Susan Namondo emphasized the crucial role of high-quality data in shaping Uganda's development. “The principles of 'Leave No One Behind' and 'Reach the Furthest Behind,' essential to the Sustainable Development Goals, are underscored by these preliminary census findings," she said.
Ms. Namondo emphasized that Uganda's demographic landscape is predominantly composed of adolescents and young people, offering a substantial opportunity for the country's socio-economic advancement through harnessing a demographic dividend. "Realizing this potential requires strategic investments in education and skills development, promotion of youth employment and entrepreneurship, enhancement of healthcare and social services, empowerment of women and girls, advocacy for family planning and reproductive health, cultivation of a culture of innovation, and harnessing the power of technology and digitalization, among other critical initiatives," Ms. Namondo said.
Uganda has also started embarking on the next phase of the census process which started in June 2024 to December 2025, focusing on data processing, quality assurance, dissemination, and utilization of the comprehensive data collected via digital tablets during the enumeration period.
The release of the preliminary census results marked the beginning of a comprehensive analysis that will inform evidence-based policymaking and development planning, aiming to address the needs of all Ugandans and propel the country toward sustainable and inclusive growth.
- Written by Emmanet Nabwire
