Oshikoto youth joblessness hits 63.2%
More than 63% of young people aged 15 to 35 in the Oshikoto region are unemployed, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA).
The figure was revealed yesterday during a presentation in Omuthiya by NSA manager for administration and logistics, Julius Nyerere Namoloh.
The 2023 census report shows that Oshikoto has a total population of 257 302, with 71.4% of residents younger than 35. Overall unemployment in the region stands at 61.1%, the NSA added.
With 81.6% of the region being rural, a scarcity of jobs is seen as inevitable, contributing to the region’s high youth unemployment rate.
Nevertheless, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s administration has outlined a bold plan to create more than 500 000 jobs over the next five years to address high unemployment rates.
The census also showed that 24.4% of employed Oshikoto residents work in manual or service jobs, primarily unskilled work such as farming, cattle herding, street vending and cleaning.
Social challenges
However, despite government plans to address unemployment, over 60% of employable community members in Oshikoto told NSA enumerators during the 2023 census that they are not actively seeking work.
The main reason cited was household responsibilities that prevent them from pursuing employment, they said.
With over 70% of the population under the age of 35, Oshikoto also faces a growing number of child-headed households – a challenge that Namoloh identified as a serious social concern.
New development chapter
In a speech read on his behalf, Oshikoto governor Sacky Kathindi thanked the NSA for conducting and sharing the census data, noting that it would provide a vital guide for improved regional planning.
“The launch of the regional profiles is not the end of a process; it marks the beginning of a new chapter in our development journey,” Kathindi said.
“It is now our shared responsibility – as government, private sector, traditional authorities, civil society, and citizens – to translate this data into meaningful action. Let us use it as a roadmap to eradicate poverty, empower our youth, uplift our women and strengthen our communities.”
The figure was revealed yesterday during a presentation in Omuthiya by NSA manager for administration and logistics, Julius Nyerere Namoloh.
The 2023 census report shows that Oshikoto has a total population of 257 302, with 71.4% of residents younger than 35. Overall unemployment in the region stands at 61.1%, the NSA added.
With 81.6% of the region being rural, a scarcity of jobs is seen as inevitable, contributing to the region’s high youth unemployment rate.
Nevertheless, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s administration has outlined a bold plan to create more than 500 000 jobs over the next five years to address high unemployment rates.
The census also showed that 24.4% of employed Oshikoto residents work in manual or service jobs, primarily unskilled work such as farming, cattle herding, street vending and cleaning.
Social challenges
However, despite government plans to address unemployment, over 60% of employable community members in Oshikoto told NSA enumerators during the 2023 census that they are not actively seeking work.
The main reason cited was household responsibilities that prevent them from pursuing employment, they said.
With over 70% of the population under the age of 35, Oshikoto also faces a growing number of child-headed households – a challenge that Namoloh identified as a serious social concern.
New development chapter
In a speech read on his behalf, Oshikoto governor Sacky Kathindi thanked the NSA for conducting and sharing the census data, noting that it would provide a vital guide for improved regional planning.
“The launch of the regional profiles is not the end of a process; it marks the beginning of a new chapter in our development journey,” Kathindi said.
“It is now our shared responsibility – as government, private sector, traditional authorities, civil society, and citizens – to translate this data into meaningful action. Let us use it as a roadmap to eradicate poverty, empower our youth, uplift our women and strengthen our communities.”
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