Namibian Internal Migration

Namibia has a migration problem. Not in the sense of people entering or leaving the country, but more in the internal sense. In 2001, 67% of Namibians lived in rural areas compared to 57% in 2011. This is reflected in a growth in the urban population from 33% in 2001 to 43% in 2011. It is clear that Namibians are migrating from rural areas to urban centers.

One of the main reasons for this migration may be economic. There are few economic opportunities in rural areas which are dependent on farming, sometimes on poor soils, on land that is ever desertifying. Besides farming, most opportunities come in the form of government employment such as schoolteachers or police officers. However, for those without a complete formal education, accessing these opportunities is near impossible. There is also a lack of funds for people to employ others. As a result, the economics of rural Namibia is often stagnant, driving people into the cities in order to seek greater opportunities.

This migration, however, presents an issue for the government and the cities. People who arrive in the cities from the countryside often don’t have the money to purchase formal accommodations. As a result, informal settlements will spring up overnight in areas that are often not serviced do to the speed of their appearance. This results in increased crime rates, increased disease, and decreased sanitation, which presents a major problem for the cities which now have to find a way to finance their rapidly growing unserviced areas without adequate funds.

One suggestion to mitigate this issue is to make rural areas appealing to live in again. For instance, bringing manufacturing jobs to the rural areas. This may be a viable solution in the long term. But in the foreseeable future, people will continue flooding into the cities, and they are a reality that Namibian officials have to confront.

https://www.newera.com.na/2018/03/20/rural-areas-hotbeds-of-idleness/

~Scarlett