PNG’s youth bulge a ‘fact we must plan for’

More than one in three Papua New Guineans are young people aged 15 to 34, putting immense pressure on schools, jobs, and health services across the country, according to new figures from the National Statistical Office [NSO].

Presenting at the World Population Day 2026 commemorations in Port Moresby today, NSO officer Shirley Kali revealed that PNG’s population has grown 3.4 times since 1980, rising from roughly three million to over 10.1 million in 2024.

However, the youth population is expanding at an even faster rate.

“36.3 per cent of this population is aged between 15 and 34,” Kali said.

“That is roughly one in three Papua New Guineans. Any policy or service that doesn't reach them is missing a third of this country.”

The 15 to 34 demographic has expanded 3.8 times since 1980, jumping from under one million to 3.7 million in 2024.

Demographers classify this rapid growth as a "youth bulge", a disproportionately large cohort entering their working and child-bearing years.

Kali emphasized that while this dynamic creates economic pressure, it also presents a major opportunity if managed correctly.

“It comes down to four areas: education and skills, jobs and livelihoods, health and reproductive health services, and evidence-based planning,” she said.

“This cohort is already here. It’s not a forecast. It’s a fact we must plan for.”

She said data from the 2024 National Population and Housing Census will be critical for tracking and managing this growth moving forward.

Ms. Kali urged the government, private sector, and local communities to invest heavily in education, healthcare, employment, and women's empowerment.

She said the choices young adults make over the next decade will define PNG’s socio-economic trajectory.

This year’s World Population Day was commemorated under the theme: “Choices, Lives and Futures: What shapes young adults' decisions about relationships, parenthood and the future.”