Also known as: ILO · International Labour Organization · International Labour Organisation country director
International Labour Organization — UN agency that sets labour standards and advises Namibian government on work, skills, and employment policy.
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New Era
International Labour Organisation warned efforts to improve global job quality had stagnated
“But the ILO warned that efforts to improve global job quality had stagnated, leaving hundreds of millions of workers wallowing in poverty, even as trade uncertainty risked cutting into workers' wages.”
Global unemployment ‘stable’, but decent jobs scarceThe Namibian
International Labour Organisation reports that unpaid care work prevents 708 million women from participating in the labour market
“Globally, unpaid care work prevents 708 million women from participating in the labour market, according to the International Labour Organisation.”
Why degrees fail to protect South African women from unemploymentThe government has established a National Technical Committee on Institutionalisation of the Informal Economy to design inclusive legal frameworks and budget for social protection and financial inclusion for the informal sector, which accounts for about 57% of Namibian employment according to informal economy advocates.
19 August 2026 · The Namibian →
The government has established a National Technical Committee on Institutionalisation of the Informal Economy to design inclusive legal frameworks and budget for social protection and financial inclusion for the informal sector, which accounts for about 57% of Namibian employment according to informal economy advocates.
19 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Businesses and workers face potential financial pressure over compulsory contributions under a planned national pension fund. Employers warn that the contributions could squeeze struggling small businesses and reduce take-home pay for low-income employees, with concerns that adding another statutory obligation could discourage hiring.
17 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia is positioning itself as a potential global green hydrogen hub, leveraging its solar and wind resources, but a new Energy Sector Skills Strategy Report warns that a shortage of specialised skills could slow development of the industry. The flagship Hyphen Hydrogen Energy project is expected to require about 7 GW of renewable energy capacity and 3 GW of electrolyser capacity, with Namibia aiming to produce between 10 million and 15 million tonnes of green hydrogen equivalent annually by 2050.
3 August 2026 · Informanté →
Namibia's biomass sector, detailed in a new Energy Sector Skills Strategy Report, is gaining recognition for potential to create jobs and develop value chains in charcoal, renewable energy, animal feed and biochar. Bush encroachment affects an estimated 45 million hectares of the country's savanna rangelands, and harvested biomass is increasingly being transformed into valuable economic products, with charcoal production and exports already supporting more than 14,000 workers and ranking Namibia among the world's leading exporters.
2 August 2026 · Informanté →
A report by the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board and the International Labour Organization warns that Namibia currently has only about 45% of the skills required to support its emerging oil and gas sector, with major offshore discoveries by Shell, TotalEnergies, and Galp Energia expected to drive first oil production around 2029 or 2030. The report highlights a mismatch between skills produced by local education and training institutions and the specialized competencies demanded by the industry.
1 August 2026 · Informanté →
The Office of the Labour Commissioner has launched Standard Operating Procedures and highlighted progress in a Business Process Re-engineering initiative aimed at reducing backlogs and improving service delivery. Deputy Minister Brandt stated the SOPs were recommended by the International Labour Organization and seek to establish an efficient, transparent labour justice system centred on fair treatment across all regional offices.
20 July 2026 · Informanté →
Justice and Labour Relations Minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel has called for workers' voices to be reflected in national policy and economic planning, stating that Namibia must move beyond exporting raw minerals to beneficiation and value addition to create sustainable employment. Speaking at a Mineworkers Union of Namibia regional meeting in Swakopmund, Immanuel said the country can no longer export raw minerals while importing finished products at higher value.
22 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namibia has welcomed the International Labour Organization's adoption of a Convention on Decent Work in the Platform Economy, which establishes global labour standards for gig workers and addresses challenges including unfair pay, lack of social protection, unsafe conditions, and algorithmic management. The deputy executive director representing Africa praised the negotiations as demonstrating what dialogue and tripartism could achieve.
20 June 2026 · Informanté →
The Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations reports that child labour remains a serious concern in Namibia, particularly in agriculture and domestic work linked to poverty and food insecurity. The ministry recorded two cases during the financial year involving a cattle herder and domestic worker, both arrested and the children reunited with their families.
16 June 2026 · New Era →
The International Labour Organization adopted a landmark Convention on Decent Work in the Platform Economy at its 114th conference in Geneva, establishing the first binding international treaty to protect digital platform workers with fair wages and social protection. Namibia coordinated the unified African position on behalf of half of Africa's nations and signed a Host Country Agreement to host the 15th African Regional Meeting of the ILO in Windhoek in December 2026.
16 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Justice Minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel told the International Labour Conference in Geneva that artificial intelligence can support decent work without job losses if governments prioritize retraining over retrenchment. He cited Namibia's Social Security Commission, which introduced digital tools affecting 65 positions but retrained rather than laid off workers.
9 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Namibia has called for stronger coordination and expanded support for small businesses to help Namibia achieve its target of creating 500,000 jobs. According to the Namibia Statistics Agency, youth unemployment stood at around 44% in 2023.
9 May 2026 · Informanté →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah commissioned a new National Governing Council of the African Peer Review Mechanism, with Namibia tasked to spearhead efforts tackling youth unemployment across Africa. The country's approach involves youth development funding, apprenticeships and education support, though Namibia itself faces a youth unemployment rate of around 44.4% according to census-based figures.
23 April 2026 · New Era →
The Namibian Employers' Federation has cautioned against growing ministerial involvement in company-level labour disputes, arguing it undermines the Labour Act's structured mechanisms and threatens institutional credibility. The NEF cited the Tsumeb Smelter case as a precedent and warned that ad hoc political intervention risks weakening Namibia's rules-based labour system and tripartite governance model.
8 April 2026 · New Era →
Employees of the Namibian Agronomic Board, represented by the Public Service Union of Namibia, have submitted a petition alleging the board violated agreements to include them in negotiations on a job evaluation and grading exercise, approving final reports without worker input. The workers cite breaches of collective bargaining principles under the Labour Act and International Labour Organization Convention, and have given the board 48 hours to respond.
8 April 2026 · New Era →
Namibia's delegation at the UN International Labour Organisation's governing body raised concerns that funding challenges, including a projected deficit of US$52.6 million by end of fiscal year 2024/25 and potential loss of 350 positions, could hamper the ILO's ability to execute its global mandate. The Executive Director of Namibia's Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations called on member states to honour financial obligations and warned that Namibia, which lacks its own ILO office and depends on technical support from South Africa, risks disproportionate impact from proposed cuts to travel and technical missions.
26 March 2026 · Informanté →
The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) has advised the finance minister to exempt a clause in the Financial Institutions and Markets Act (Fima) that would have forced all retirement fund members to annuitise their benefits. Workers will continue to receive one-third of their retirement benefits tax-free as a lump sum, though the government's long-term policy aims to move Namibia toward full annuities in line with International Labour Organisation standards.
25 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The Chamber of Mines disputed claims by an International Labour Organisation representative that the sector does not create significant jobs, saying its members created 20,843 direct jobs and an estimated 145,901 indirect jobs in 2024. The chamber also responded to other criticisms regarding local beneficiation, foreign ownership, and environmental impact.
25 February 2026 · The Namibian →
A parliamentary committee investigating 11 mines across five regions found that mining corporations are retrenching permanent employees and rehiring them through subcontractors at lower wages with reduced benefits and job insecurity. The committee also flagged concerns about voluntary separation packages being used to bypass labour law compliance and rising occupational health and safety incidents in the sector.
18 February 2026 · The Namibian →
The UN's International Labour Organisation reports that global unemployment is expected to remain stable at around 4.9% through 2027, but warns that this masks a severe shortage of quality jobs, with hundreds of millions of workers in poverty and informal employment. Trade uncertainty and ongoing automation pose further risks to workers' wages and job prospects, particularly for young people and workers in developing regions.
15 January 2026 · New Era →