Namibia sees rising household spending and wheat imports

Namibia experienced significant economic shifts in the second quarter of 2026, characterized by rising household spending and a heavy reliance on food imports. According to the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), household spending rose to N$53.3 billion between April and June, an 11% increase in nominal terms compared to the previous year. This rebound in private consumption helped drive the country’s GDP growth to 4.8%, with the wholesale and retail trade sector contributing 0.9 percentage points to that total.

Despite the economic boost from retail, the country remains vulnerable to global market fluctuations due to high import costs for essential goods. Namibia spent approximately N$491.6 million importing wheat during the same period, as local production for wheat and pearl millet was recorded at zero. While overall agronomy production increased by 46.8% due to a surge in white maize yields, the country continues to depend on foreign suppliers, with Australia identified as a major provider of cereal grains. The total cereal grain import bill rose by 59.9% to N$674.8 million compared to the second quarter of 2025.