380 000 Namibians rely on Govt grants to survive
A 2025 financial survey reveals that nearly 380,000 Namibians rely on government social grants as their primary source of income. High inflation and economic pressure mean these grants are often shared among multiple household members to cover basic needs like food.
Why it matters
The data highlights significant economic vulnerability and the critical role of social safety nets in Namibia's poverty alleviation efforts.
For nearly 380 000 Namibians, a government grant is not simply an additional source of income, but the money they rely on to get through the month.
The 2025 Namibia Financial Inclusion Survey shows that 20.8% of Namibia’s eligible adult population depend primarily on government social transfers, including old-age pensions, child grants and disability grants to survive.
The figure translates to about 378 000 people, based on an eligible adult population of 1.82 million.
The old-age pensions make up the largest share, with 14.6% of adults relying on them as their primary income. A further 4.1% depend mainly on child grants, while 2.1% rely on disability grants.
Old-age grant currently stands at N$1 700 monthly, child grants stand at N$350 and disability grants are N$1 600 monthly.
The survey also shows where much of that limited income goes.
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