Tonga Statistics Department (TSD) Advances 2026 Census Preparations with Steering Committee and Stakeholder Consultations
The Tonga Statistics Department has convened the 2026 Tonga Population and Housing Census Steering Committee alongside a key Stakeholder Consultation Meeting on the Questionnaire, marking a major milestone in national preparations for the upcoming census.
The gathering brought together key leaders and stakeholders from government ministries, the private sector, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), highlighting a strong institutional commitment to collecting high-quality, evidence-based data for national planning and economic development.
Leadership at the Tonga Statistics Department emphasised the critical role of the questionnaire design in the success of the nationwide operation:
“The foundation of a good Census is its questionnaire. It needs to be complete and capture the critical data needs of the nation.” — Government Statistician, Sione Lolohea
“Relevancy, priority, quality, and clarity are crucial to ensuring the data serves our country effectively.”— Deputy Government Statistician, Telekaki Latavao
Census Steering Committe – 20 July 2026
Key Highlights & Timeline
- July 20, 2026 — Steering Committee Assembly: The Government Statistician presented the 2026 Census Proposal and formally tabled the Terms of Reference (TOR) governing the committee’s advisory and oversight functions.
- July 30, 2026 — Stakeholder Consultation: Attendees reviewed the 2021 Census questionnaire as a baseline assessment to ensure the 2026 iteration accurately reflects Tonga’s evolving socio-economic landscape.
- Next Steps: TTSD will continue stakeholder consultations to finalise the questionnaire ahead of fieldwork.
- Census Fieldwork Commencement: November 30, 2026.
Stakeholder Consultation on Census Questionnaire, 30 July 2026
Media & Public Inquiries
For further information regarding the 2026 Tonga Population and Housing Census, please contact the Tonga Statistics Department.