The Democratic Republic of Congo is advancing toward its second General Population and Housing Census (RGPH-2), with the official launch of agent recruitment for the critical mapping phase. This announcement came during a June 1 press conference led by Guylain Nyembo Mbwizya, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and Development Coordination.

The census, set to begin in July 2027, represents a historic milestone for the country. The last complete census in the DRC took place in 1984—over four decades ago—leaving officials with outdated demographic data. The government emphasized that accurate population figures are essential for effective national planning, policy development, and resource allocation.

Strategic importance of the census

According to the Minister, the RGPH-2 will provide reliable, up-to-date statistics covering the entire country. Speaking at the announcement, he highlighted the census as a government priority to improve governance and service delivery.

“This operation will allow us to achieve greater precision, obtain more reliable information, and enhance our ability to serve our people and strengthen our national governance. The census has always been a priority; we needed to meet the necessary conditions, and today, they are in place. We have officially launched this operation, which is currently in the mapping phase. The actual enumeration is scheduled to begin in July 2027. All measures are being taken to ensure the operation proceeds without delays or quality issues. We are working precisely toward this goal,” said Guylain Nyembo Mbwizya.

The Minister was joined by Alain Akpadji, UNFPA Representative in the DRC, who stressed the strategic importance of the recruitment phase. He noted that the mapping agents will play a crucial role in defining enumeration areas and ensuring comprehensive population coverage.

“The Government has made the census a national priority to accurately determine our population size, living conditions, and geographic distribution,” he stated.

A national priority after 42 years

The Minister explained that the census provides essential data for development planning, public policy formulation, infrastructure construction, and equitable resource distribution. The launch of the mapping agent recruitment marks a significant step toward realizing the RGPH-2, 42 years after the last census was conducted.

“This operation will provide reliable, updated data necessary for development planning, public policy formulation, basic infrastructure construction, and better state resource allocation. The official launch of the mapping agent recruitment process is an important milestone we have just achieved in making this operation a reality 42 years after the last census,” he affirmed.

Positions open for mapping phase

The recruitment targets specific profiles, including training-of-trainers specialists, cartography operators, geographic information systems (GIS) experts, and information and communication technology (ICT) assistants. These agents will conduct field mapping to precisely define enumeration areas and ensure full population coverage.

The Minister stressed that candidate selection will be based on strict merit-based criteria. He also announced that the application deadline is June 7, 2026, with submissions accepted through the dedicated portal at recrutement.rgph.cd.

“I want to assure the public that this recruitment will be conducted with full transparency, meritocracy, equity, and equal opportunity. No fraud, abuse, discrimination, favoritism, or preferential treatment will be tolerated. Applications will be reviewed and selected based on clearly defined skills and qualifications outlined in the call for applications,” he reassured.

A chance for youth employment

The government views this census as an opportunity to harness local talent and create temporary employment for thousands of Congolese, particularly youths and qualified women.

“This operation also represents a significant opportunity for many young people across the country. It will mobilize thousands of local skills in service of the nation,” the Minister noted.

Call for national ownership

Nyembo emphasized the importance of local recruitment to promote talent nationwide. He invited the population to fully embrace the process, stressing the need for agents who are honest, disciplined, committed, and driven by public service.

“We need agents who are honest, disciplined, committed, and guided by a sense of public service. By launching this recruitment campaign today, we reaffirm the Government’s determination to see this process through to completion,” he said, urging the public to take ownership of the initiative.

This recruitment phase follows a partners’ roundtable aimed at securing adequate, predictable, sufficient, and sustainable funding for the census. The total estimated cost of the operation is $192 million, a significant challenge given the current budget constraints. The government is exploring a “Basket Fund” mechanism to pool contributions from technical and financial partners.

For the DRC, conducting a general population census after more than four decades is both a development necessity and a fulfillment of a promise made by President Félix Tshisekedi before his election.