Namibia Over Half of Working Population Borrow to Purchase Food

A new Namibia Statistics Agency Financial Inclusion Survey shows that 51.3% of the country's 546,000 working adults have taken loans to buy food, the highest proportion among basic‑needs borrowing. Around 295,000 of these earn less than N$2,000 a month, while only 44,000 earn above N$11,000. Household debt totals roughly N$131.2 billion, with N$7.2 billion owed to microlenders and over N$124 billion to commercial banks. Economists say borrowing for daily consumption signals structural weaknesses in the economy, noting that debt used for food does not create future income. Statistician Alex Shimuafeni highlighted a rise in borrowing from 42.1% in 2017 to 49% in 2025, attributing the trend to low wages and rising living costs.