Namibia Minute.
Monday, 8 June 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Monday, 8 June 2026
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Namibian press · Person

Alex Shimuafeni

Also known as: Statistician general Alex Shimuafeni

Statistician general of the Namibia Statistics Agency whose contract was extended to 30 September 2026.

2025-01-292026-06-08

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. March 2026
  2. The Namibian

    Alex Shimuafeni presented findings during a workshop held at Swakopmund

    Source

    Shimuafeni recently presented these findings during a workshop held at Swakopmund, attended by regional governors, local authority mayors and councillors, traditional leaders and other stakeholders.

    Strengthening the Township Economy
  3. The Namibian

    Alex Shimuafeni had contract extended by six months to September 30, 2025

    Source

    The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) board has extended the contract of statistician general Alex Shimuafeni by six months to ensure the completion of key projects and a smooth leadership transition.

    NSA extends statistics general Shimuafeni’s contract to September
  4. The Namibian

    Statistician general Alex Shimuafeni says the export basket remains dominated by the mining sector

    Source

    Statistician general Alex Shimuafeni says the export basket remains dominated by the mining sector.

    Namibia re-exports N$307m oil to neighbours
  5. New Era

    Alex Shimuafeni said Namibia has 419 informal settlements accommodating more than 200 000 urban residents

    Source

    Delivering the statistical overview, Statistician General and CEO of the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) Alex Shimuafeni said 563 settlements across 57 local authorities were assessed as part of the study.

    Namibia’s over 400 informal settlements … 200 000 live there
  6. February 2026
  7. The Namibian

    Statistician general and NSA chief executive Alex Shimuafeni said the country has 563 urban settlements exhibiting varying levels of informality

    Source

    Presenting the findings, statistician general and NSA chief executive Alex Shimuafeni said the country has 563 urban settlements exhibiting varying levels of informality.

    Khomas has most informal settlements in Namibia
  8. The Namibian

    Shimuafeni said the Khomas region had the highest number of informal settlements (150, 35.8%)

    Source

    "The Khomas region had the highest number of informal settlements (150, 35.8%), followed by the Otjozondjupa (42; 10.0%), Oshana (32; 7.6%), Hardap (31; 7.4%), and Kunene regions (27; 6.4%)," Shimuafeni said.

    Khomas has most informal settlements in Namibia
  9. New Era

    Alex Shimuafeni said Producer Price Index declined 3.9% quarterly but increased 3.1% annually

    Source

    "The overall Producer Price Index declined by 3.9% on a quarterly basis. However, on an annual basis, the index recorded an increase of 3.1%," he said.

    PPI drops in fourth quarter as mining slumps
  10. New Era

    Alex Shimuafeni explained mining sector contracted due to price decreases in diamonds, uranium and zinc

    Source

    "This quarterly decline resulted from price decreases in diamonds, uranium and zinc," Shimuafeni explained.

    PPI drops in fourth quarter as mining slumps
  11. New Era

    NSA chief statistician Alex Shimuafeni stated urbanisation increase placed strain on amenities

    Source

    According to NSA chief statistician Alex Shimuafeni, the increase in urbanisation in the Khomas region by 3.1% (from 95.2% in 2011 to 98.3%) placed a strain on the availability of amenities for residents.

    23% have no toilets in Khomas
  12. New Era

    Statistician general and CEO Alex Shimuafeni said housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels component was main driver of overall inflation

    Source

    Statistician general and CEO Alex Shimuafeni said this category was the main driver of overall inflation.

    Housing, utility costs drive inflation

Tuesday 26 May

  1. Namibia Producer Price Index declines 1.7% in Q1 2026

    Namibia's Producer Price Index fell 1.7% in the first quarter of 2026, driven mainly by lower prices in mining and quarrying—particularly salt, diamonds, and uranium—though the index grew 2.7% annually over the same period.

    26 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer

Friday 22 May

  1. NSA and Angola sign statistics cooperation memorandum

    Namibia's Statistics Agency and Angola's National Statistics Institute have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to improve cooperation in statistics, governance and public policy planning, covering areas including macroeconomic data, labour statistics, censuses, digital transformation and data science.

    22 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer

Saturday 16 May

  1. Namibia's northern regions pay most for diesel

    Namibia's annual inflation rate slowed to 3.1% in April 2026, though transport and fuel costs remain under pressure. Consumers in northern regions (zone 1) paid the highest diesel price at N$24.31 per litre, while Khomas residents (zone 2) paid the lowest at N$24.12.

    16 May 2026 · The Namibian

Monday 11 May

  1. Namibia's March vehicle imports valued at N$979 million

    Namibia imported commercial vehicles worth N$979 million in March, predominantly from South Africa, India and China, while re-exporting N$48 million worth mainly to Zambia, according to NSA trade statistics. The country recorded a trade deficit of N$2.3 billion in March, an improvement from the previous month's N$5.2 billion deficit.

    11 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer

Sunday 10 May

  1. Namibia's trade deficit narrows to N$2.3 billion in March 2026

    Namibia recorded exports of N$13.2 billion and imports of N$15.5 billion in March 2026, resulting in a trade deficit of N$2.3 billion—an improvement from the N$5.2 billion deficit in February. China was the largest export market and South Africa the main source of imports, with mining commodities (uranium, gold, nickel ores, diamonds) dominating exports alongside fish, while re-exports increased significantly.

    10 May 2026 · Informanté

Wednesday 6 May

  1. Israel Tjizake appointed deputy statistician general of NSA

    Israel Tjizake has been appointed as the new deputy statistician general of the Namibia Statistics Agency from 1 May, bringing over 25 years' experience in official statistics, data management, and institutional leadership. He will oversee the agency's core statistical operations and drive initiatives including modernisation of statistical systems and evidence-based decision-making.

    6 May 2026 · The Namibian

Saturday 25 April

  1. NSA spent N$130m on 2025/26 household survey fieldwork

    The Namibia Statistics Agency spent close to N$130 million on the data collection phase of the 2025/26 Namibia Household Income and Expenditure Survey, which covered 12 months of field operations across Namibia's 14 regions and concluded on 22 April. The survey covered a representative sample of 11,016 households and will produce key development indicators to support economic and policy analysis, with the final report expected by end of March 2027.

    25 April 2026 · The Namibian

Tuesday 14 April

  1. Khomas region posts highest March inflation rate at 3.2%

    The Khomas region registered 3.2% annual inflation for March, above the national rate of 2.1%, with housing and utilities driving inflation most significantly. Food prices fell sharply compared to the prior year, while transport costs declined, according to data from the Namibia Statistics Agency.

    14 April 2026 · The Namibian

Saturday 28 March

  1. Wheat harvest drives 376% surge in grain production

    Namibia's grain production jumped 375.9% in late 2025 to 22,643 tonnes, driven primarily by a robust wheat harvest that grew 1,057.6%, while the agronomy import bill fell from N$863 million to N$488 million year-on-year.

    28 March 2026 · The Namibian

Friday 13 March

  1. Informal settlements house 200,000 Namibians, study finds

    The Namibia Statistics Agency conducted a baseline study of informal settlements across the country's 57 local authorities, finding more than 200,000 Namibians live in 419 informal settlements, with several hundred thousand more in townships. While micro and small enterprises in these areas contribute significantly to the informal economy, they face challenges including compliance requirements, limited workspace and restricted access to services, while gambling establishments and cash loan outlets pose growing social and financial risks.

    13 March 2026 · The Namibian

Tuesday 10 March

  1. NSA extends statistician general Shimuafeni's contract six months

    The Namibia Statistics Agency board has extended statistician general Alex Shimuafeni's contract from 31 March to 30 September to ensure completion of critical projects and a smooth leadership transition. Deputy statistician general Ottilie Mwazi's contract was also extended from 1 January to 31 March following her reaching retirement age on 31 December.

    10 March 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 5 March

  1. Namibia re-exports N$307m oil to Zambia and Botswana

    Namibia re-exported petroleum oils worth N$307 million to Zambia and Botswana in January, ranking as the third-largest re-exported commodity at 12.3% of total re-exports. The country's overall export revenue reached N$11.4 billion in January, with uranium, gold, fish, and diamonds dominating the export basket.

    5 March 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 4 March

  1. Namibia's 419 informal settlements house over 200,000 people

    A baseline report presented by the Namibia Statistics Agency found that 419 informal settlements across Namibia accommodate more than 200,000 urban residents, with significant service delivery gaps: only 24% have water infrastructure, 10% have sewer services, and 22% have electricity. The government aims to reduce informal settlements by 50% by 2029 and will use the report as a benchmark to measure progress.

    4 March 2026 · New Era

Thursday 26 February

  1. Khomas region hosts over one-third of Namibia's informal settlements

    According to the Namibia Informal Settlements Baseline Report, Khomas accounts for 150 of 419 informal settlements nationwide (35.8%), with 86.4% lacking formal sewerage and 70.4% without water and electricity access. Only 16 of 419 informal settlements have achieved full service coverage and secure land tenure.

    26 February 2026 · The Namibian

Tuesday 24 February

  1. Producer prices fall 3.9% in Q4 as mining contracts

    Namibia's Producer Price Index dropped 3.9% in the fourth quarter of 2025, driven by sharp declines in diamond, uranium, and zinc prices within the mining sector, though the index rose 3.1% year-on-year. Manufacturing sector growth, particularly in fish and meat processing, helped offset mining weakness.

    24 February 2026 · New Era

Friday 20 February

  1. Over 23% of Khomas urban residents lack flushing toilets

    According to the Namibia Statistics Agency's 2023 Census Regional Profile, 23% of urban residents in Khomas region do not have access to flushing toilets, with 16.9% practising open defecation. The NSA chief statistician attributed the sanitation challenges to rapid urbanisation increasing from 95.2% in 2011 to 98.3% in 2023, straining available amenities and infrastructure.

    20 February 2026 · New Era

Tuesday 17 February

  1. Housing and utilities drive Namibia's inflation in January 2026

    Namibia's annual inflation rate slowed to 2.9% in January 2026 from 3.2% a year earlier, but housing, water, electricity and fuel costs—which make up 28.4% of the consumer basket—accelerated to 4.6% annual inflation, driven by rising electricity, gas and rental prices. According to the Namibia Statistics Agency, this category remains the primary inflation concern for households despite overall moderation.

    17 February 2026 · New Era

Sunday 15 February

  1. Windhoek recorded cheapest beef stew prices in January

    Data from the Namibia Statistics Agency shows residents in Windhoek (Khomas region) paid N$100.79 per kg for beef stew in January, about N$14 less than other regions. Overall inflation for the month was 2.9%, down from 3.2% in January last year, with housing and rental costs being the biggest driver of inflation.

    15 February 2026 · The Namibian

Friday 6 February

  1. No second-hand clothing imported in December

    According to the Namibia Statistics Agency trade report, Namibia imported no second-hand clothing in December, with only N$1 million recorded in November. The report notes that EU exports of used clothes to Africa have nearly tripled over two decades, reaching 1.26 million tonnes in 2024, with 80% sold in informal African markets including Namibia's Stop & Shop.

    6 February 2026 · The Namibian

Friday 30 January

  1. Namibia's trade deficit worsened to N$4.4 billion

    Namibia's trade deficit deteriorated to N$4.4 billion in November 2025, with exports falling 24.5% to N$10 billion and imports declining 10.4% to N$14.4 billion, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency. Mining sector commodities including gold, uranium, and diamonds drove exports, while the country remained heavily reliant on petroleum oils and motor vehicles for imports.

    30 January 2026 · New Era

Thursday 29 January

  1. Namibia's trade deficit widens to N$4.4 billion in November

    Namibia recorded a trade deficit of N$4.4 billion in November 2025, worsening from N$2.9 billion in October, according to the Namibian Statistics Agency. Mining commodities including gold, uranium, and diamonds formed the bulk of exports, while the country ran trade deficits in beverages and trade surpluses in food products.

    29 January 2026 · Informanté

  2. Namibia imported N$31 million worth of rice in November

    Namibia imported rice valued at N$31 million in November from Thailand and South Africa, while exporting no rice, according to Namibia Statistics Agency data. The country recorded a trade deficit of N$4.4 billion in November, up significantly from N$2.9 billion in October, with South Africa emerging as the largest trading partner for both exports and imports.

    29 January 2026 · The Namibian

Monday 26 January

  1. NBC denies plans to re-interview director general candidates

    The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation has denied allegations that it intends to conduct re-interviews for the director general position, a role vacant since outgoing chief Stanley Similo's contract expired last year. NBC board chairperson Lazarus Jacobs said the recruitment process remains incomplete and that any claims about re-interviews are "speculation, innuendo and rumour mongering."

    26 January 2026 · The Namibian

Alex Shimuafeni — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute