Unemployment rate rises from 33.4% to 36.9% in seven years

By: Selma Taapopi

Namibia’s unemployment rate increased from 33.4% in 2018 to 36.9% in 2023.

The 2023 population and housing census shows that Namibia’s labour force totals 53.8%, which is slightly more than a million.

There are 867.247 (46.2%) who are not part of the labour force, while those who qualify for employment are 341.931 (33.9%).

The research released today by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) says 666,944 (66.1%) do not want jobs.

CEO and Statistician General Alex Shimuafeni said the //Kharas, Hardap, Kunene, Omaheke and Otjozondjupa regions recorded a reduced unemployment rate.

He also said the Kavango West recorded the highest increase in unemployment, from 33% to 52.8 %, followed by the Omusati and Ohangwena regions.

“We have divided it into male and female and obviously in Namibia from those 546 000 who are employed 300 000 of those are male and 246 000 are female and then we also have the urban and rural, out of the 546 000, 367 000 are in the urban areas while 179 000 are in the rural areas” Shimuafeni said.

Onesimus Shalonda, NSA senior statistician for labour force statistics, said 21.8% of the workers are in elementary occupations.

“We also looked at the different types of sectors or industries, the employed populations by industry between 2018 labour force survey as well as the population and housing census 2023 and the top industry during the 2018 labour force survey. Agriculture was top and contributed about 23% of the total employed population” Shanlonda stated.

The report further attributed reasons for individuals not wanting employment to full-time studies, retirement, family responsibility, illness, injury or disability.