Trade ministry’s 9 000 jobs questioned

The Ministry of International Relations and Trade’s reported creation of over 9 000 jobs has faced parliamentary opposition scrutiny over data accuracy and timeline verifiability.

The ministry says it has facilitated 28 portfolio projects, attracting N$66.85 billion in investment and creating 9 343 permanent jobs nationwide.

It says it is not directly responsible for creating jobs, but plays a key role in attracting investment, opening export markets and creating conditions for businesses to employ Namibians.

Responding to questions by Independent Patriots for Change parliamentarian Rodney Cloete on president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s pledge to create 500 000 jobs within five years, minister Selma Ashipala-Musavyi on Thursday said the ministry’s role is to facilitate job creation through trade and investment initiatives.

“The projects span agriculture and food processing, mining, renewable energy, tourism, real estate, chemicals and digital services,” she said.

Ashipala-Musavyi said agriculture and food processing accounted for 11 projects, attracting N$4.67 billion and creating 2 142 permanent jobs.
The ||Kharas region alone has attracted N$2.998 billion in this sector, resulting in 1 213 jobs.

The metals, mining and adjacent industries sector has recorded seven projects, attracting N$18.25 billion and creating 2 910 permanent jobs.

Renewable energy recorded five projects, with investment of N$38.35 billion and 4 138 jobs created.

The Erongo region accounted for N$37.73 billion of that investment, and 4 050 jobs.

Other projects include a N$4.3-billion property and housing investment in the Khomas region, which created 50 permanent jobs, while tourism, hospitality and entertainment projects attracted N$285 million and created 50 jobs.

“The ministry’s contribution to the 500 000-job target would largely come through trade agreements, export promotion and foreign direct investment,” Ashipala-Musavyi said.

She told the National Assembly that increasing export markets could stimulate domestic production and employment, while investment in sectors such as oil and gas could create thousands of jobs.

The ministry is targeting N$254 billion in foreign direct investment and an increase in export values to N$168 billion.

Ashipala-Musavyi said the investment policy and the pending international trade management bill are measures intended to create an enabling environment for investment and industry.

The bill, which is expected to be tabled in parliament, will strengthen the management of imports and exports and provide regulatory measures to support industries, she said.

On accountability, the minister said senior officials and heads of missions have performance indicators linked to projects and targets under the ministry’s strategic plan.

She said the ministry also uses a performance management system to assess officials and maintain a professional foreign service.

On quarterly reporting, Ashipala-Musavyi said employment and investment data is generated through institutions including the Namibia Statistics Agency and the Namibia Integrated Employment Information System.

The government’s claim of creating 9 343 jobs has, however, been questioned over a lack of dates and verifiable figures.

Cloete said the figure comes from the ministry’s response to Parliamentary Question 181, tabled on 18 September 2025.

He said the attached table lists 28 projects and their stages but provides no dates showing when the jobs were created.

“A job count with no start date cannot be measured against a five-year promise,” Cloete said.

He also pointed out that while 9 343 jobs are listed under ‘permanent jobs’, the column for ‘actual jobs created (permanent)’ totals only 951.

The projects had announced investments of N$66.85 billion, but only N$7.74 billion was recorded as actually invested, he said.

Cloete further criticised the ministry for saying it is “not directly involved in job creation” while presenting the 9 343 figure.

He said even when temporary and seasonal jobs are included, the recorded actual total is 4 125.

Some 500 000 jobs over five years requires about 100 000 jobs annually, or 274 a day, Cloete said.

Meanwhile, executive director of international relations and trade Ndiitah Nghipondoka-Robiati says: “For those figures, the jobs were created between 2024 and 2025.”

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