WorldPop News

Photo of Dr Edson Utazi presenting at the 2026 Guinea Worm Eradication Program (GWEP) Research Review meeting

High-resolution mapping identifies Guinea worm hotspots to support global eradication

Take Our Survey and Help Shape What Comes Next WorldPop Associate Professor, Dr Edson Utazi presented Mapping the Risk of Guinea Worm Disease project findings last week at the 2026 Guinea Worm Eradication Program (GWEP) Research Review meeting, organised by The Carter Center. The meeting brought together experts from across the world working in areas such as genomics, geospatial […]

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Photo of Dr Chris Nnanatu presenting at the High Level Engagement meeting.

Mapping Nigeria’s Future: The Road to a Smart National Census

Take Our Survey and Help Shape What Comes Next An important leap toward a modern and credible national census took place recently in Abuja, Nigeria. On April 30, 2026, the Federal Government officially launched an 18-month initiative to consolidate and modernise Nigeria’s national geospatial database. This high-level event brought together key leaders from the National

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DHIS2 webinar screen capture

New webinar showcases how geospatial data reaches zero-dose children in remote regions

Take Our Survey and Help Shape What Comes Next Last week, the DHIS2 community broadcast a significant webinar detailing how high-resolution WorldPop population data has been integrated into the DHIS2 platform. This digital integration is transforming how life-saving vaccines are delivered in low- and middle-income countries. With WorldPop’s 100m population grid cells now integrated in

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Photo of Minawao refugee camp, Cameroon

New geospatial method transforms how refugee populations are counted and surveyed 

Take Our Survey and Help Shape What Comes Next WorldPop researchers have developed a faster, more accurate way to build national survey frameworks that better represent displaced populations, which is addressing a long-standing gap in humanitarian data. The study introduces a geospatial approach that enables governments and international organisations to identify and include refugees in

New geospatial method transforms how refugee populations are counted and surveyed  Read More »

Infographic titled "Rebalancing Power In Infectious Disease Modelling".

Rebalancing Global Health: Why Local Leadership Matters in Disease Modelling

Take Our Survey and Help Shape What Comes Next An international team of researchers, including experts from the University of Ghana and WorldPop, is urging a rethink in how we model infectious diseases, and who gets to lead that work. Their study’s message is simple: to make global health fairer and more effective, countries most

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Photo of health clinic for Congo refugees in Uganda

Refugee-hosting districts show stronger maternal health outcomes in Uganda, study finds

Take Our Survey and Help Shape What Comes Next Districts in Uganda that host refugees are seeing slightly better maternal and child health outcomes than those that do not, according to new research analysing routine health data from 2020 to 2023.  The Countdown to 2030 study, led by Rogers Nsubuga, PhD researcher at Makerere University, Uganda, found higher coverage in

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Screen capture of Population Explorer interface

How Population Explorer Turns WorldPop Open Data into Action  

Take Our Survey and Help Shape What Comes Next Understanding where people live is critical in high-stakes situations. In humanitarian crises, it determines where aid goes; in commercial contexts, it shapes investment decisions. The core need is the same: accurate, granular population insight that can be used quickly. Co-founded by US-based data for development practitioner

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Graphic with DHIS2 Strategic Technical Partner logo superimposed on population map

WorldPop joins the first cohort of DHIS2 Strategic Technology Partners

Take Our Survey and Help Shape What Comes Next Our mission as a digital public good is to make high-quality, open population data accessible and usable for better decision-making. Delivering on that mission increasingly depends on strong partnerships, particularly with platforms that sit at the core of national data systems. It is in this context

WorldPop joins the first cohort of DHIS2 Strategic Technology Partners Read More »

Photo of Dr Chris Nnanatu with Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, Statistician General, National Bureau of Statistics (pictured centre) and team members from the United Nations Population Fund Nigeria, National Population Commission, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University

Strengthening Population Data in Nigeria Through Co-developing Geospatial Innovation

Take Our Survey and Help Shape What Comes Next WorldPop Senior Research Fellow and Head of Spatial Statistics and Population Modelling (SSPM), Dr Chris Nnanatu recently completed a scoping visit to Nigeria as part of preparations for a new collaborative initiative focused on enhancing the country’s population data systems. The visit brought together key national

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Photo of Somalia National Bureau of Statistics participants with workshop completion certificates, April 2026

Mapping Somalia’s Future: Inside WorldPop’s Data Workshop in Nairobi

Take Our Survey and Help Shape What Comes Next Researchers from WorldPop recently ran an intensive 10-day workshop in Nairobi, bringing together experts from the Somalia National Bureau of Statistics (SNBS) and the Somalia Country Office United Nations Population Fund. While the setting was Kenyan due to security concerns, the focus remained firmly on Somalia,

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