NSA warns lagging surveys weaken development push

Namibia’s ability to plan and respond to social and economic challenges is being undermined by delayed national statistics programmes, with critical surveys running years behind schedule.

Speaking during discussions on the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) in Swakopmund on Monday, Isak Neema, Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) executive for data quality assurance and national statistics system coordination, warned that the country is facing widening gaps in data availability due to limited resources.

Major national surveys intended to run on fixed cycles, including the labour force survey, demographic and health survey, agricultural census and household income and expenditure survey, have not been conducted at the required frequency.

“We want to end poverty, we want to create employment… but with what? You can’t measure, you can’t manage,” Neema told delegates.

The delays, he said, weaken decision-making at all levels of government and risk eroding public trust in official statistics.

Up-to-date data is essential for tackling unemployment, housing demand, education planning and health policy, yet Namibia is often forced to rely on outdated information, he added.

The meeting brought together regional and local authority leaders, government officials and private-sector stakeholders to discuss how the NSDS framework aims to strengthen the country’s national statistical system and improve coordination among data producers.

Knowledge is power

Swakopmund mayor Suamma Kautondokwa said reliable statistics are central to effective governance, noting that “statistics help us move from assumption to evidence and from intention to measurable results.”

However, discussions quickly turned to systemic challenges within the statistical environment. Participants questioned the timeliness of published data, duplication of surveys across institutions and the lack of integrated data systems.

Neema acknowledged that Namibia is lagging behind countries with real-time administrative data systems, where continuous digital records reduce reliance on large-scale censuses.

“We are still catching up on the basics,” he said, adding that developed countries have moved towards life-cycle data tracking through integrated registers.

According to the agency, delays are not the result of a lack of technical capacity but of funding constraints. Neema stressed that large-scale statistical operations require sustained government investment.

“You will never see an international organisation come and say, ‘Here is a billion dollars to conduct your census,’” he said. “The focus is really on the country itself to see what is critical and to fund these undertakings.”

Quality data

Participants also raised concerns about the relevance of certain data collection exercises, warning that poorly designed surveys risk producing information that cannot be used for planning. Neema cautioned that statistics lacking quality assurance could end up “in the dustbin”.

The NSDS initiative seeks to address these weaknesses by strengthening coordination between ministries, improving statistical literacy among decision-makers and prioritising data integration.

NSA officials emphasised that much of the information needed for development planning already exists within government administrative systems but remains underutilised due to poor coordination and limited statistical capacity.

“Data is a driver of prosperity,” Neema said. “If you are ignoring the power of data, you will be left behind.”

The agency will continue regional consultations this week, including technical engagements with municipal and regional officials, as part of efforts to align local data systems with national development planning.