The Maldives Bureau of Statistics (MBS) has begun preparing an assessment and roadmap to transition future national censuses to a hybrid digital system.

According to MBS, the initiative aims to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of census data collection while reducing long-term costs. The bureau said efforts are underway to introduce a hybrid approach that combines traditional data collection with the use of administrative registers and digital technologies.

Chief Statistician Aishath Hassan explained that as national registers are developed, future censuses will increasingly rely on digital systems and alternative data sources to improve quality and reliability. She noted that the hybrid model will allow the bureau to collect more accurate information while minimising the need for extensive door-to-door enumeration.

To facilitate this transition, MBS is currently conducting a nationwide assessment and drafting a detailed roadmap outlining the steps towards implementing a hybrid census system.

The shift aligns with the long-term vision for the country’s statistical sector, which seeks to modernise data collection through closer collaboration between the Maldives Bureau of Statistics and other state statistical agencies.