ZAMSTATS HOSTS MALAWI'S NATIONAL STATISTICAL OFFICE FOR A POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS BENCHMARKING MISSION
The Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats) is hosting a delegation from the National Statistical Office of Malawi (NSO Malawi) from 7th to 11th September 2026 for a benchmarking and knowledge-exchange mission on the conduct of Population and Housing Censuses.
The mission provides an opportunity for the two National Statistical Offices to share experiences, technical knowledge and lessons learned from their respective census programmes. The Malawian delegation is particularly interested in learning from Zambia’s experience in the 2022 Census of Population and Housing, while also sharing lessons from Malawi’s 2018 Population and Housing Census.
Malawi is currently in the preparatory phase for its 7th Population and Housing Census, which is scheduled to be conducted in September 2028.
The delegation is headed by the Commissioner of Statistics and Head of Delegation, Mr. Shelton Kanyanda, and includes the Director of Demography and Social Statistics, Ms. Tiope Mleme; Deputy Director of Demography, Mr. Isaac Chirwa; and other technical officers from the Demography and Social Statistics Division.
The delegation is further accompanied by Ms. Emma Mavumbe and Mr. Hennie Loots, representing UNFPA Malawi.
Statistician General Welcomes the Delegation
The Statistician General of ZamStats, Ms. Sheila S. Mudenda, welcomed the Malawian delegation and expressed her appreciation for the opportunity for the two institutions to engage in a structured exchange of knowledge and experience.
In her welcoming remarks, Ms. Mudenda observed that Population and Housing Censuses are among the largest, most complex and most consequential statistical operations undertaken by National Statistical Offices.
She noted that the successful implementation of a census requires sound methodology, effective institutional coordination, appropriate technology, detailed logistical planning, public confidence, and the commitment of thousands of people working towards one common national objective to ensure that everyone is counted.
“For Zambia, the 2022 Census of Population and Housing was particularly significant as it was our sixth national census since Independence and our first electronic census. Digital mapping, satellite imagery, electronic enumeration-area maps, Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing, GPS coordinates and real-time monitoring systems were integrated into the census process,” Ms. Mudenda said.
She explained that these innovations significantly transformed the way ZamStats planned and managed census field operations, allocated resources, deployed personnel, monitored coverage and responded to operational challenges.
According to the Statistician General, the experience also generated important lessons on systems readiness, connectivity, equipment management, training, field support, information security, institutional coordination and the importance of timely decision-making.
Sharing Successes, Challenges and Lessons Learned
Ms. Mudenda emphasised that while ZamStats is proud of the achievements recorded during the 2022 Census, the Agency also recognises that every major statistical operation presents opportunities for learning, reflection and continuous improvement.
“We therefore intend to share not only our achievements, but also the challenges we encountered, the adjustments made during implementation and the lessons that should inform future census rounds,” she said.
She further emphasised that the benchmarking mission should be approached as a genuine two-way exchange, noting that Zambia also stands to benefit from Malawi’s experiences and expertise in census planning, digital enumeration and statistical production.
“Malawi has valuable experience in census planning, digital enumeration and statistical production from which Zambia can also learn. This engagement therefore presents an opportunity for both institutions to strengthen their respective census programmes through the sharing of practical experiences and lessons learned,” Ms. Mudenda said.
Areas of Technical Engagement
Ms. Mudenda expressed her expectation that the mission would facilitate detailed technical discussions and experience-sharing in several critical areas of census implementation.
These include digital cartography and mapping; questionnaire development; Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) systems; recruitment and training; field logistics; census monitoring; quality assurance; data processing and dissemination; as well as the sustainable utilisation of census infrastructure beyond the enumeration period.
She noted that such engagements are important in strengthening institutional capacity, improving the quality and efficiency of future censuses, and ensuring that investments made in census infrastructure and technology deliver value beyond a single census cycle.
The mission underscores the strong technical cooperation and partnership between Zambia and Malawi and demonstrates the importance of peer learning among National Statistical Offices in the region.
Through such engagements, ZamStats continues to strengthen collaboration with regional and international partners while contributing to the advancement of quality, timely, reliable and internationally comparable official statistics for evidence-based decision-making and national development.
