NCRA Releases Provisional 2025 Vital Events Report
By: James Kamara-Manneh
The National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) has released its Provisional Annual Report on Vital Events for the year ending 31 December 2025, providing an official snapshot of births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and adoptions recorded nationwide.
According to the report, 306,057 live births were registered in 2025, comprising 149,968 males (49%) and 156,089 females (51%), reflecting a female-biased sex ratio at birth.
The Authority recorded 17,905 deaths, with 10,280 males (57%) and 7,425 females (43%). Of the total deaths, 5,452 cases (22%) occurred among persons aged 60 years and above, while 2,477 deaths (15%) were recorded among children aged 0–4 years, highlighting continued vulnerabilities at both ends of the age spectrum.
In the area of marriages, 755 unions were registered nationwide. These included 408 Christian marriages (54%), 174 Islamic marriages (23%), 128 civil marriages (17%), and 45 customary marriages (6%).
The report further indicates that 60 divorces were registered during the year under review. Of these, civil marriages accounted for 35% (21 cases), Christian marriages 30% (18 cases), Islamic marriages 30% (18 cases), and customary marriages 5% (3 cases).
On adoptions, the NCRA recorded 160 cases across the country in 2025. Females accounted for 99 cases (62%), while males accounted for 61 cases (38%). Age analysis shows that 62 adoptees (39%) were between 13–17 years, followed by 60 cases (37%) among children aged 5–12 years, and 38 cases (24%) among those aged 0–4 years.
The NCRA noted that the figures are provisional and cover the period January to December 2025, in line with Section 28(1) of the National Civil Registration Act, 2016, which mandates the Authority to collect, compile, and publish national vital statistics.
While acknowledging the support of partner institutions and organizations, the Authority has called on citizens and foreign residents to register births (live or still), deaths, marriages, divorces, adoptions, and nullities promptly as they occur, stressing that comprehensive civil registration is essential for credible population data and effective national planning in Sierra Leone.
