Agriculture And Forestry Drive Stronger Economic Growth In Namibia
Agriculture and forestry recorded one of the strongest performances in Namibia’s economy during the second quarter of 2026, expanding by 17.8% and emerging as a major contributor to the country’s overall economic growth.
The strong performance in the sector came as Namibia’s economy expanded by 4.8% between April and June 2026, according to the latest Gross Domestic Product, Agriculture and Fishing indicators released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA).
The agriculture and forestry sector’s growth was significantly higher than the overall economic expansion and represented a major improvement in economic activity compared with the same period in 2025. Its performance placed it among the leading sectors supporting growth during the quarter.
Agriculture remains an important part of Namibia’s productive economy, covering activities linked to crop production, livestock and forestry. The strong quarterly performance therefore provided a significant boost to the wider economy.
Health services recorded the second-strongest growth among the highlighted sectors, expanding by 17.6%. The wholesale and retail trade sector followed with 9% growth, while information and communication increased by 8.2%.
Statistician-General Alex Shimuafeni said the 4.8% economic expansion represented a substantial improvement from the 1.7% growth recorded in the second quarter of 2025.
The nominal size of Namibia’s economy also increased from N$65.3 billion in the second quarter of 2025 to N$70.6 billion during the same quarter this year.
However, growth was uneven across the economy. Construction, mining and quarrying, electricity and water all recorded declines during the quarter.
On the expenditure side, private final consumption increased by 11.6%, while gross fixed capital formation rose by 14.4%. Exports recorded marginal growth, but imports increased by 12.9%, resulting in a wider external-balance deficit.
The NSA’s next quarterly economic indicators are scheduled for release on 17 December 2026.
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