The human population of Papua New Guinea (PNG) has shot up past the 10 million mark since independence 50 years ago, a significant concern for the government because it exceeds the economic growth of the country.

This was revealed by Prime Minister (PM) James Marape at the launch of the Reset PNG@50 blueprint at the University of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby city on Thursday 23rd October, where he said the census data was a sobering reminder of the country’s rapid demographic expansion — and a critical call to action for all sectors of government and society.

Marape revealed that PNG’s population has officially reached 10,185,363, according to the 2025 national census figures recorded as of 16 June 2025.

“In 1975, we were a nation of about 3 million people,” the Prime Minister said. “Fifty years later, we are more than 10.1 million strong — that is a massive increase, and it must change how we plan, budget, and deliver.”

He disclosed that out of the current total population, 4,357,922 are under the age of 18,

highlighting the youth-heavy nature of PNG’s demographic structure.

“This tells us something very important — the majority of our people are young. That’s a lot

of mouths to feed, schools to build, teachers to train, and jobs to create,” he said.

PM Marape warned that while the population has grown by over 3% annually, economic

growth has lagged behind, averaging below 3%.

“That is not sustainable,” he said. “If our population is growing faster than our economy,

then we are stretching limited resources thinner and thinner. This is why growing the

economic basket is not optional — it is critical.”

PM Marape urged all public servants and leaders to take the census data seriously and to

shift from paper planning to performance delivery.

“You see money, you report it. You deliver. You show results,” he said. “The size of the

population is no longer an estimate — it’s a fact. So now we have no excuse not to plan

properly.”

He also said the National Monitoring and Coordination Authority would be empowered to

track how funds are used and whether outcomes match population needs.

The PM said with more than 4 million citizens under 18, the future of PNG rests on the decisions made today.

“This census isn’t just a statistic — it’s a warning and an opportunity,” he said. “We must

reset how we think, plan, and work. Ten million people is a big house to manage — and we

must rise to the challenge.”