More than half of Namibia’s young people are without jobs, according to new data from the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA).
Statistician-General Alex Shimuafeni revealed that about 61.4% of one million youth aged 15 to 34 are unemployed. He shared the figures during a Sanlam Allianz Youth Unemployment Panel Discussion held in Windhoek on Wednesday.
Shimuafeni explained that the official youth unemployment rate stands at 44.4%, which includes only those actively looking for work. However, when discouraged job seekers those who have stopped searching are counted, the rate rises sharply to 61.4%.
Economist Almando Jansen from Simonis Storm said one of the main reasons for the high youth unemployment is the limited creation of entry-level jobs across different sectors.
Adding a personal touch to the discussion, Quinteline Nunuhe, a journalism and media graduate, shared her struggles as an unemployed young person. She said the job market has become “increasingly discouraging,” even for qualified youth.
The discussion highlighted the growing concern over job opportunities for young Namibians and the urgent need for solutions to address the country’s unemployment crisis.
