Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in Namibia

Namibia: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) was 33.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
33.0%
World rank
1st
of 181 countries
All-time high
33.0%
in 2023
All-time low
14.7%
in 2012
Years of data
14
1991–2023

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Namibia, 1991–2023

01020301991200720231991: 19.61994: 17.91997: 18.22000: 19.12001: 26.82004: 19.32008: 32.52010: 20.32012: 14.72013: 17.32014: 16.72016: 21.82018: 21.12023: 33

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

Namibia recorded 33.0% for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in 2023. That is the highest value across all 14 years on record.

That represents a change of up 90.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Namibia peaked at 33.0% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 14.7%, in 2012.

Namibia ranks 1st of 181 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in Namibia, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in Namibia, 1991 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1991 19.6% —
1994 17.9% -8.5%
1997 18.2% +1.7%
2000 19.1% +4.9%
2001 26.8% +40.5%
2004 19.3% -28.0%
2008 32.5% +68.4%
2010 20.3% -37.5%
2012 14.7% -27.9%
2013 17.3% +18.3%
2014 16.7% -3.6%
2016 21.8% +30.3%
2018 21.1% -3.0%
2023 33.0% +56.4%

Namibia compared with similar countries

  • Namibia's 33.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.8%, 8.6× the median. (39 countries reporting)
  • Namibia's 33.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.0%, 8.2× the median. (32 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 18.6% 17.9% 19.6% 3
2000s 24.5% 19.1% 32.5% 4
2010s 18.7% 14.7% 21.8% 6
2020s 33.0% 33.0% 33.0% 1

Countries ranked near Namibia

  1. 2 Eswatini 31.8% compare
  2. 3 South Africa 30.4% compare
  3. 4 Palestine 28.5% compare

See the full ranking of 205 places →

More work & labour data for Namibia

All data for Namibia →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Namibia?
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Namibia was 33.0% in 2023, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Namibia?
The highest recorded value was 33.0% in 2023.
What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Namibia?
The lowest recorded value was 14.7% in 2012.
How does Namibia rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
Namibia ranks 1st out of 181 countries with data for 2023.
Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Namibia?
Over the last ten years it is up 90.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Namibia data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Namibia. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-male-percent-of-male-labor-force-national-estimate/namibia/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
205 places, 5,453 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.