ABSTRACT
For a long time, data collection in Cameroon as well as in many other countries has been paper-based. The successful use of digital devices for census data collection in some sub-Saharan countries, as well as the need to improve data quality and reduce the usually long-time lapse between headcounts and the release of census results, were key motivators behind Cameroon’s decision to switch to digital data collection in the 2020 census round. Other motivating factors were the financial support from the United Nations Population Fund and the US Agency for International Development and the technical support from the US Census Bureau. The most determinant factor for the adoption of handheld digital devices was their approval by the government. The use of smartphones to collect data during the pilot survey of the fourth General Population and Housing Census of Cameroon demonstrated that, for the benefits expected from using smartphones for data collection to be realized, many challenges have to be overcome, such as low internet and electricity coverage and respondents’ fear of providing information that would be registered in an unfamiliar format. Some of these problems were actually unforeseen at the time the method was adopted. Other key lessons learnt include the frequent occurrence of common field mistakes committed by enumerators when using handheld devices for data collection. These mistakes include enumerators entering incorrect answers in a hurry or accidentally deleting part of the collected files, use of the device for other purposes, accidentally signing out of the application, and mistakenly pressing the registration button when the data collection process is not yet over, etc. In some instances, poor manipulation of the smartphone interfered with the data app. Despite these challenges, the use of digital devices for data collection in Cameroon has come to stay and efforts should be made by all stakeholders to ensure that it works well.
