STAFF WRITER
A data analytics expert has said a good number of Namibians considered emigration last year in search of employment and better standards of living.
Cirrus Head of Data and Analytics, Tennan Groenawald said the number of Namibians who considered emigration last year in search of greener pastures was much higher than in 2017.
He says emigration among Namibians, primarily the youth, is motivated by economic reasons, such as securing employment or escaping poverty.
“While the majority of Namibians in each age group have not considered emigrating, the proportion who have has increased notably since 2017, when the same question was last asked. In 2017, only 23% of respondents indicated that they had considered emigration, compared to 35% in 2024,” said Tennan Greonwald the Head of Data and Analytics as Cirrus.
He added that , “ Among those who have considered leaving, the most commonly cited reason was to find work or access better employment opportunities, followed by economic hardship, poverty, or destitution. The latter was significantly more common among older respondents, with over 40% of those aged 46 and above selecting this option.”
According to Groenawald, emigration considerations motivated by the prospect of better business opportunities or lower taxes were also more prevalent among older age groups.
“Meanwhile, pursuing education was understandably most common among the youngest cohort, with 15% of those aged 18-25 citing this reason.
“Although fewer than 2% of respondents overall cited seeking a better democratic environment or greater personal freedom, this reason became more common with age, rising to 14% among those aged 56 and above,” he said.
He added that despite some emigration considers Namibians express a strong sense of national identity and patriotism relative to other African countries surveyed.
“Nonetheless, persistent economic challenges and high unemployment have led many to consider emigration in pursuit of financial and economic stability,” he said.
Graphics :CIRRUS
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