Youth and unemployment in Namibia

For the past decade, the issue of youth unemployment in Namibia has always been a great concern.

According to Trading Economics' global macro models and analysts’ expectations, there has been slow economic growth. The impact of the pandemic left our economy in a devastating situation. Between March 2020 and April 2021, many businesses closed down, and a majority of the youth lost their jobs, while many others were retrenched from the private sector.

In 2020 alone, 12 000 workers were retrenched from 896 companies, and by the end of the third quarter of 2020, 64% of businesses reported a revenue loss of over 50%.

Based on the above statistics, it is a shame that Namibian youth, who are said to be the backbone of the country, continue to live in extreme poverty. High levels of youth unemployment do not only contribute to poverty. It also exposes the youth to activities such as robbery, theft, housebreaking, alcohol and drug abuse, and drug dealing in a quest to make a living.



Left out in the cold

Many rural youths move to urban areas hoping to find employment, which increases the burden on municipalities and the government in terms of service delivery.

Another problem we are facing is the high number of graduates who are unable to find jobs after completing their studies.

The Namibian government is really failing us as youths, although education is said to be the key to success.

Since independence, our education system has made concerted efforts to ensure both girls and boys are able to receive an education to realise their potential and contribute to national development, although the boy child is still lagging behind.

It is regrettable that, despite the seriousness with which many young individuals pursue their education, they encounter significant challenges in securing employment after completing their studies, often finding themselves unemployed and without prospects. It is crucial for the government to establish effective measures to address and alleviate the unemployment crisis in the country. A hungry nation is an angry nation.