Govt increases pensions and grants by N$50 – The Namibian 3July2018
ALWONIA IZAAKS THE poverty eradication ministry has increased pensions and grants by N$50, to be implemented next month. In a statement yesterday, the ministry’s permanent secretary, I-Ben Nashandi, said the increase will be backdated to April this year. Nashandi said all beneficiaries will receive N$1 450 in August, which includes a N$200 back pay for […]
First quarter 2018 trade statistics – trade deficit widening
The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) has released the trade statistics for the first quarter 2018 on 19 June 2018. The trade statistics refer to trade in goods only and exclude the trade in services. Namibia usually achieves a surplus in the trade of services. Herewith a few highlights: The trade deficit increased further in the […]
First quarter 2018 Gross Domestic Product figures – slight improvement in economic activities
The Namibia Statistics Agency has released the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures for the first quarter 2018 on 19 June 2018. GDP in real terms dropped slightly by 0.1% during the first quarter 2018. While this is an improvement compared to the decline by 0.4% during the first quarter 2017, economic growth remained weaker than […]
Continental integration – The role of free movement of labour
Recent policy initiatives on the African continent can contribute to higher economic growth and a reduction of poverty. The Single African Air Transport Market initiative (SAATM), the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and the abolition of visa requirements for Africans are a few examples. The AfCFTA includes not only a protocol on trade in […]
NSA releases the Consumer Price Index for May 2018
The Namibia Statistics Agency has released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for May 2018 on 14 June 2018. The inflation rate is calculated based on the change in the CPI. The annual inflation rate increased slightly from 3.6% in April to 3.8% in May compared to May 2017 – the highest annual inflation rate so […]
After the clean-up – What’s next?
Namibians turned out in numbers on Africa Day for a clean-up campaign initiated by the President, Dr. Hage Geingob. The clean-up focussed in Windhoek mainly on the informal settlements and north-western suburbs indicating that there is seemingly a bias in the waste removal and recycling infrastructure toward the formal and better-off areas of Windhoek. This […]
Inflation gnaws at thresholds – time for adjustments
Government has implemented various measures to support and protect the poor and low-income earners. These measures include thresholds that either exempt those falling below the threshold from contributing to certain schemes or paying taxes for instance or from benefitting from certain schemes if they exceed the threshold. However, these thresholds are becoming less meaningful if […]
EAN Commentary – CPI for April 2018
NSA releases the Consumer Price Index for April 2018. The Namibia Statistics Agency has released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for April 2018 on 15 May 2018. The inflation rate is calculated based on the change in the CPI. The inflation rate increased slightly from 3.5% in the previous two months to 3.6% in April […]
Rating agencies’ assessment of Namibia
EAN member Mr. Klaus Schade gave a presentation on the latest rating agencies’ assessment at the NPC Multi-Stakeholder Forum under the Theme: Status of the economy – What does the Future hold? He concluded with a few recommendations.
Reckoning and Recalling – The Namibian
The state of Namibian SOEs was the topic of discussion last Thursday, at an event organised and hosted by the Economic Association of Namibia (EAN). According to public enterprise minister Leon Jooste, Namibia has more than 70 SOEs of which 22 can be regarded as hardcore commercial. The ones delivering in terms of jobs and […]