The Bank of Namibia (BoN) says the country’s electronic identity (e-ID) programme could significantly reduce the cost of future censuses and surveys by enabling secure sharing of administrative data across government institutions.
Speaking at Statistics Awareness Day, BoN Governor Ebson Uanguta said Namibia should accelerate investment in administrative data systems and digital infrastructure to reduce its reliance on expensive traditional surveys while improving the quality and timeliness of official statistics.
He said integrating administrative records across government agencies would strengthen policymaking, improve public service delivery and provide more reliable information for businesses and investors.
“The ongoing electronic ID initiative presents an opportunity to establish a statistical system that will enable secure data matching across administrative databases of institutions while also maintaining strong privacy and data protection safeguards,” Uanguta said.
“Every Namibian dollar invested in stronger administrative data today will yield substantial savings in future surveys and, in the long run, the national census.”
Uanguta said reliable statistics are critical for monitoring inflation, assessing economic growth, safeguarding financial stability and formulating effective monetary policy.
“Without dependable data, even the best-intended policies and investments risk missing the mark,” he said.
The Governor said Namibia has significantly strengthened its statistical system since independence, expanding from basic monetary and financial statistics to a comprehensive framework covering inflation, economic growth, balance of payments, external debt, employment and financial inclusion.
He also highlighted Namibia’s subscription to the International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) in December 2022, making it one of only about seven African countries to achieve the benchmark. According to Uanguta, the standard has improved transparency, strengthened access to timely statistics and enhanced the country’s credibility with international investors and capital markets.
Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) Statistician General Alex Shimuafeni echoed the call for stronger investment in official statistics, saying quality data has become indispensable for policymaking, business planning and investment decisions.
He said official statistics provide government with the evidence needed to monitor progress towards Vision 2030, national development plans, the African Union Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Shimuafeni said the 2023 Population and Housing Census, Namibia’s first fully digital census, showed the country’s population had exceeded three million, with 56.1% of citizens of working age.
He also pointed to economic data showing Namibia’s real gross domestic product growth slowed to 1.7% in 2025 from 3.8% in 2024, while unemployment remained at 36.9%, underscoring the importance of reliable statistics in identifying areas requiring policy intervention.
Shimuafeni called for sustained investment in digital technologies, administrative data systems, skilled personnel and stronger coordination between institutions, while urging households, businesses and public institutions to participate fully in surveys and administrative data collection.
“Statistics are only as strong as the data we receive from every respondent. Every response helps improve the quality of national statistics. Every response helps decision-makers understand Namibia better,” he said.
