Poverty, vulnerability and inequality in Namibia: an estimation of recent trends

Abstract

This report, prepared by the Economic Commission for Africa in partnership with the National Planning Commission of Namibia, examines recent trends in poverty, vulnerability, and inequality in Namibia. Using an innovative imputed elasticity approach, the report updates household consumption data to estimate poverty and inequality from 2017 to 2023. Key findings include a significant increase in poverty rates, with the poverty headcount ratio rising from 19.7% in 2017 to 28.2% in 2023. The report highlights the impact of economic downturns, the COVID-19 pandemic, and rising inflation on poverty levels. It also discusses the determinants of inequality and provides policy recommendations to address these challenges.