Namibia: housing

How many Namibians live in shacks?

28.7% of Namibian households lived in informal dwellings or shacks in 2023, up from 16.0% in 2011, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency's 2023 Population and Housing Census main report. In urban areas the share was 40.2%.

The census counts shacks both in backyards and in informal settlements. The shares were highest in Khomas (46.9%), which includes Windhoek, Omaheke (46.8%) and Otjozondjupa (40.1%), and lowest in Omusati (8.2%). 33.2% of households lived in formal houses and 26.0% in traditional dwellings, mostly in the rural north. The NSA also published a Namibia Informal Settlements Baseline Report in February 2026.

Official sources: 2023 Population and Housing Census main report

How many Namibians own their homes?

43.4% of Namibian households lived in homes they owned outright in 2023, and 9.6% in homes they owned with a mortgage, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency's 2023 Population and Housing Census main report. 17.0% rented from private landlords, 4.4% rented from the government, councils or firms, and 22.9% lived rent-free.

Ownership differs sharply between town and country. In rural areas 56.8% of households owned their homes outright and only 3.0% rented from individuals. In urban areas 28.5% rented from individuals and 15.4% had a mortgage. Erongo, home of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, had the highest share of private renters at 42.6%.

Official sources: 2023 Population and Housing Census main report

How fast are rents rising in Namibia?

Rents in Namibia were 4.3% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier, up from 3.7% in September 2025, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency's September 2026 consumer price index bulletin. The housing, water, electricity and fuel group rose 4.2%.

The rent measure covers rental payments for dwellings and, as the NSA notes, includes an estimate for owners as well as tenants. Housing, water, electricity and fuels make up 28.4% of the consumer basket, the largest share of any group, and added 1.0 percentage point to the inflation rate of 5.4%. The cost of maintaining and repairing homes rose 4.0%.

Official sources: September 2026 consumer price index bulletin

How many new homes are being built in Namibia?

46 completion certificates for new residential buildings were issued by the reporting local authorities in July 2026, down from 85 in June and up from 44 in July 2025, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency's Buildings Completed report for July 2026. All completed buildings were worth N$103.5 million.

The report counts certificates issued when buildings are finished by reporting local authorities, including Windhoek, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Ongwediva, so it does not cover building in informal settlements or rural areas. Monthly numbers move a lot. Construction output fell 15.5% in the second quarter of 2026, according to the NSA's GDP figures.

Official sources: Buildings Completed report for July 2026 · GDP figures

How much do Namibians borrow for homes?

Mortgages made up 47.7% of all bank credit to the private sector in Namibia at the end of June 2026, according to the Bank of Namibia's Quarterly Bulletin for September 2026. Banks' prime lending rate was 10.25% in the second quarter of 2026 and the average lending rate 9.58%.

Mortgage credit is the largest single type of lending. Credit to households grew 4.5% over the year to June 2026, with more mortgage and overdraft lending, while mortgage lending to businesses had shrunk for seven quarters in a row. Mortgage rates are usually linked to the prime rate, which moves with the central bank's repo rate.

Official sources: Quarterly Bulletin for September 2026

What is Namibia's urbanisation rate?

The UN Population Division puts the share of people living in urban areas in Namibia at 50.9% in 2025. No year since 2005 has been higher. It is 19th highest of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 44.9%. World rank, highest first: 132nd of 193.

How many people in Namibia live in slums?

41.4%: that is the share of city dwellers living in slums in Namibia for 2022, according to UN-Habitat. Since 2006 it has ranged from 41.4% (2016) to 42.1% (2006). Sub-Saharan Africa median: 48.7%; Namibia is 35th highest of 48. Of 170 countries with 2022 data, 52nd highest.

What is the electricity access rate in Namibia?

The latest figure from the World Bank, for 2024, is 59.3%. That is the highest since at least 2005. It is 23rd highest of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 57.8%. World rank, highest first: 166th of 193.

What share of homes in Namibia cook with clean fuels?

According to the WHO, the share of people using clean cooking fuels in Namibia was 46.0% in 2024. That is the highest since at least 2005. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 13.0%; Namibia is 14th highest of 48. World rank, highest first: 143rd of 192.