Over 600 000 urban citizens trapped in informal settlements
More than 600 000 Namibians are forced to live in informal settlements, a staggering 41.6% of the country’s urban population, according to the Namibia Informal Settlements Baseline Report released in July 2025.
The report identifies 606 000 people residing in improvised housing structures across 563 informal settlements nationwide.
It shows that only 144 of 563 informal settlements have been formally proclaimed, raising urgent questions about land reform delays and municipal accountability.
The findings lay bare the depth of a crisis that has steadily expanded alongside rapid urbanisation, with land servicing and the delivery of affordable housing failing to keep pace.
Statistician general Alex Shimuafeni described the report as a turning point for evidence-based urban planning.
“This baseline report marks a significant milestone in strengthening the national statistical system and enhancing evidence-based planning in the urban development sector."
In the report's foreword, he stressed that the data should not be viewed merely as numbers but as a planning instrument. “Accurate, timely, and reliable data remains the cornerstone of effective policy formulation and implementation.”
Planning time
The baseline consolidates housing information from all 57 local authorities under the Namibia Housing Information System, standardising definitions and settlement classifications that were previously fragmented across institutions.
For years, policymakers and municipalities operated with inconsistent figures, complicating land delivery planning and infrastructure expansion. The July 2025 release now establishes a verified benchmark against which housing interventions under the National Housing Policy can be measured.
The report documents informal settlements in every region, underscoring that the crisis is not confined to major urban centres but is a structural feature of Namibia’s urban growth.
Shimuafeni emphasises the responsibility of institutions to act on the findings. “The insights presented in this report provide a credible reference point from which government and stakeholders can monitor progress and design targeted interventions.”
Urban migration, unemployment and limited access to affordable formal housing have driven thousands into informal settlements situated on town peripheries, many without secure tenure, potable water, sanitation or electricity.
The scale of the crisis is politically and economically significant. Nearly half of Namibia’s urban residents now live outside formal housing frameworks.
The report positions data transparency as central to accountability. “It is incumbent upon all stakeholders to translate these statistical insights into practical and sustainable solutions,” Shimuafeni stressed.
