WINDHOEK, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), the national statistical authority of Namibia, on Wednesday announced plans for the upcoming 2025/2026 Namibia Household Income & Expenditure Survey (NHIES), a significant national effort aimed at gathering vital economic data.
Beginning with a pilot survey from Sept. 30 to Oct. 18, followed by the main fieldwork spanning March 17, 2025, to March 17, 2026, this comprehensive 12-month initiative will account for seasonal variations across the country.
"The main objective of the NHIES is to provide socioeconomic indicators to support planning, policy formulation, decision making as well as research and development for a knowledge-based economy to eradicate poverty and income inequalities in Namibia," NSA Statistician-General Alex Shimuafeni said in a statement to media.
He said that this comprehensive survey is instrumental in calculating poverty indicators at both household and individual levels. "It forms the basis for updating prices and rebasing national accounts and consumer price index."
The survey will cover all 14 regions of Namibia, providing detailed insights at regional, urban/rural, and various socioeconomic group levels.
A representative sample of 10,368 households will be selected through a rigorous two-stage sampling process.
To ensure data accuracy and efficiency, NSA will employ tablets for Computer Assisted Personal Interviews, enhancing quality control and streamlining data collection and processing, Shimuafeni said.
According to Shimuafeni, this survey marks the fifth since Namibia's independence and is aligned with NSA's strategic goals outlined in their 2022/2023 to 2026/2027 Business Plan.
Meanwhile, the Namibian government has allocated significant funding for the survey, highlighting its importance in national statistical operations.
For the 2024/2025 financial year, about 43.2 million Namibia dollars (about 2.4 million U.S. dollars) will be available for the pilot survey, logistics, training, and other related costs.
