Automation threatens thousands of Namibian jobs
!Gawaxab urges dual strategy
Governor of the Bank of Namibia, Johannes !Gawaxab, says the country must accept that some jobs will inevitably become obsolete, with clerical positions such as data capturers, personal assistants, and bank tellers already being automated.
Speaking at the recently launched Namibia Public-Private Forum (NamPPF), !Gawaxab said Namibians should not be surprised as these roles gradually disappear, adding that the country needs a dual strategy to address both immediate employment gaps and long-term skills mismatches.
“Conceptually, we can view this challenge across three categories,” he explained. “First, jobs in imme-diate demand — we need artisans, technicians, and care workers to sustain our current economic base. We also need teachers, nurses, and doctors. Second, jobs for the emerging economy require data ana-lysts, cybersecurity specialists, and energy and environmental engineers to drive future competitiveness. Third, we must acknowledge that some jobs will naturally become obsolete.”
According to him, addressing Namibia’s growing pool of over 600 000 under-skilled citizens requires more than retraining. “The answer lies in creating accessible, modular pathways into new industries through vocational upskilling, digital learning platforms, and private training partnerships. This forms the foundation of an adaptive economy — one capable of evolving with technological change,” he said.
Promising sectors
!Gawaxab highlighted several promising frontiers for job creation, saying Namibia possesses multiple “engines of scalable employment”.
“Agriculture, through agro-industrialisation, can absorb labour. The charcoal and biomass industries, if integrated into circular economy models, can generate sustainable export revenue and rural employ-ment. Tourism, repositioned towards experiential models, can capture higher value,” he said.
“Each of these sectors represents a distinct convergence between growth, inclusion, and sustainability.”
Infrastructure and investment
Turning to the country’s infrastructure deficit, !Gawaxab stressed that Namibia cannot industrialise or create jobs without reliable access to water and electricity.
“Today, we heard about water scarcity constraining productivity in both the mining and agricultural sectors, alongside persistent gaps in energy, transport, and logistics. No country has ever industrialised without addressing infrastructure needs,” he said.
He revealed that the Bank of Namibia’s 2014 study had estimated the country’s infrastructure funding shortfall at N$150 billion, but that figure has now ballooned to roughly N$222 billion.
“Strategic investments in energy, water, transport, and digital infrastructure will yield the highest em-ployment multipliers — creating multiple jobs for every dollar invested across the value chain,” he said.
He added that Namibia’s utilities require a strategic rethink to bring down the high costs of water and electricity to competitive SADC levels.
Land and informal settlements
!Gawaxab said the issue of informal housing must be addressed decisively.
“People living in informal structures, without access to basic services or dignity, will remain trapped unless we act decisively. Let us consider donating or releasing the land on which informal settlements sit, so that it can be serviced, titled, and integrated into the formal economy,” he urged.
“Secure land transforms lives. It opens access to public services, provides collateral for investment, and gives families confidence to build homes and businesses. It secures tenure and restores dignity.”
Shared responsibility
He warned that expecting government alone to shoulder all development costs is unrealistic.
“We simply do not have the fiscal space as a nation. All this ambition requires innovative financing. It cannot rest solely on the public balance sheet,” he said.
“The path forward lies in blended finance, where public, private, and development partners work hand in hand. We must also attract greater domestic and foreign investment. Namibia remains a net exporter of capital — we send money abroad while we need it here at home.”
!Gawaxab further called for empowering local authorities to play an active role in development.
“Urbanisation carries significant political, economic, and social implications. Municipalities in some countries leverage their assets to borrow under the supervision of finance ministries, using their balance sheets responsibly to deliver jobs and services. Namibia must think innovatively about how to empower local authorities in a controlled manner to do the same,” he said.
– [email protected]
Speaking at the recently launched Namibia Public-Private Forum (NamPPF), !Gawaxab said Namibians should not be surprised as these roles gradually disappear, adding that the country needs a dual strategy to address both immediate employment gaps and long-term skills mismatches.
“Conceptually, we can view this challenge across three categories,” he explained. “First, jobs in imme-diate demand — we need artisans, technicians, and care workers to sustain our current economic base. We also need teachers, nurses, and doctors. Second, jobs for the emerging economy require data ana-lysts, cybersecurity specialists, and energy and environmental engineers to drive future competitiveness. Third, we must acknowledge that some jobs will naturally become obsolete.”
According to him, addressing Namibia’s growing pool of over 600 000 under-skilled citizens requires more than retraining. “The answer lies in creating accessible, modular pathways into new industries through vocational upskilling, digital learning platforms, and private training partnerships. This forms the foundation of an adaptive economy — one capable of evolving with technological change,” he said.
Promising sectors
!Gawaxab highlighted several promising frontiers for job creation, saying Namibia possesses multiple “engines of scalable employment”.
“Agriculture, through agro-industrialisation, can absorb labour. The charcoal and biomass industries, if integrated into circular economy models, can generate sustainable export revenue and rural employ-ment. Tourism, repositioned towards experiential models, can capture higher value,” he said.
“Each of these sectors represents a distinct convergence between growth, inclusion, and sustainability.”
Infrastructure and investment
Turning to the country’s infrastructure deficit, !Gawaxab stressed that Namibia cannot industrialise or create jobs without reliable access to water and electricity.
“Today, we heard about water scarcity constraining productivity in both the mining and agricultural sectors, alongside persistent gaps in energy, transport, and logistics. No country has ever industrialised without addressing infrastructure needs,” he said.
He revealed that the Bank of Namibia’s 2014 study had estimated the country’s infrastructure funding shortfall at N$150 billion, but that figure has now ballooned to roughly N$222 billion.
“Strategic investments in energy, water, transport, and digital infrastructure will yield the highest em-ployment multipliers — creating multiple jobs for every dollar invested across the value chain,” he said.
He added that Namibia’s utilities require a strategic rethink to bring down the high costs of water and electricity to competitive SADC levels.
Land and informal settlements
!Gawaxab said the issue of informal housing must be addressed decisively.
“People living in informal structures, without access to basic services or dignity, will remain trapped unless we act decisively. Let us consider donating or releasing the land on which informal settlements sit, so that it can be serviced, titled, and integrated into the formal economy,” he urged.
“Secure land transforms lives. It opens access to public services, provides collateral for investment, and gives families confidence to build homes and businesses. It secures tenure and restores dignity.”
Shared responsibility
He warned that expecting government alone to shoulder all development costs is unrealistic.
“We simply do not have the fiscal space as a nation. All this ambition requires innovative financing. It cannot rest solely on the public balance sheet,” he said.
“The path forward lies in blended finance, where public, private, and development partners work hand in hand. We must also attract greater domestic and foreign investment. Namibia remains a net exporter of capital — we send money abroad while we need it here at home.”
!Gawaxab further called for empowering local authorities to play an active role in development.
“Urbanisation carries significant political, economic, and social implications. Municipalities in some countries leverage their assets to borrow under the supervision of finance ministries, using their balance sheets responsibly to deliver jobs and services. Namibia must think innovatively about how to empower local authorities in a controlled manner to do the same,” he said.
– [email protected]
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article