The importance of census data cannot be overstated.

Accurate census data is crucial for a wide array of national interests, including economic development, transportation, healthcare, education, business planning and overall decision-making. It plays a vital role in planning and enforcement, helping to shape socio-economic policies and improve the welfare of the population.

Conducted by the Namibia Statistics Agency, the primary aim of a census is to generate precise results that account for every member of the country’s population in policymaking.

Therefore, the release of the 2023 Namibia Population and Housing Census report this week should be embraced by all.

At first glance, the report is a mixed bag of hits and misses.

Among some of the interesting figures, Namibia’s distribution of households by main source of livelihood statistics indicates that 46.6% of Namibians are dependent on salaries for survival or income, while 10.6% derive their income from commercial and subsistence farming.  Another 9% get their income from non-farming business activities.

That translates into over 66.2% of Namibians who have a stable and consistent income from those three streams of income.

As the statistics were being released by Statistician General Alex Shimuafeni, allegations made the rounds that the statistics agency was hiding unemployment figures for political reasons, as the unemployment rate in the country had allegedly exceeded the 50% mark.

However, Shimuafeni denied the allegations. According to him, if unemployment is not released until income records are thoroughly examined, the country’s unemployment rate would never exceed 35%.

“Just look at those numbers; you can all do your maths, but statistics are powerful and never lie,” he dismissed. While it is evident that Namibia has fared exceptionally well in some areas, some statistics paint a grim picture of the situation on the ground.

For instance, the 2023 census recorded a total of 756 339 private households in Namibia.  The percentage share of households in urban areas increased from 49.3% in 2011 to 54.8% in 2023.

Worryingly, of this figure, 217 000 live in informal settlements without access to basic services and other harsh conditions.

The latest report also highlighted the improved literacy levels across the various age groups of the country’s population, with 87.3% of Namibians now literate.

The report showed that there is no significant difference in literacy levels between males and females. 

Furthermore, the literacy rate was higher in urban areas at 93.8% than in rural areas, which is at 79.6%.

On the Early Childhood Development (ECD) front, the country recorded 21.4% of children were enrolled in ECD programmes, where the majority of 26.2% of the children attending ECD facilities are in urban areas, compared to rural areas, where only 17.9% attended.

Overall, a higher proportion of girls were observed to attend ECD as compared to boys. 

On the social front, the latest statistics indicate that 483 131 Namibians receive, and are solely dependent on, government social grants, ranging from old-age pensions, disability grants, State maintenance grants and foster parent grants. The report shows that 176 780 Namibians receive old-age pension grants, while another 61 616 are beneficiaries of the State’s disability grants.

 Additionally, over 154 731 people are enrolled for the State maintenance grant. 

Meanwhile, the government’s foster parent grant covers over 22742 Namibians.

The report showed that 13.9% of the country’s population, aged 16 and above, do not have national identity cards, and the trend is more prevalent in rural areas, where it is 20.4% higher than in urban areas. 

The figures above, which are mere snippets of the entire report, provide a rich set of data that businesspersons and industrial policymakers can use to ensure effective economic development and planning.

Although the data arrived later than expected, it is timely, coinciding with the crucial November elections. Political parties which previously relied on outdated figures can now revise their manifestos to reflect more accurate demographics and economic realities, allowing for more realistic interventions and commitments to the electorate.

The responsibility now lies with policymakers, politicians, the business community and citizens to leverage this data for informed decision-making and strategic investments.