CHAMWE KAIRA
The age group 27 to 36 was the most active among females in both exports and imports, among cross border informal traders between Namibia and Angola and Zambia, a recent survey has shown.
This age group among females accounted for a substantial share of 16.8% in exports and a leading 23.1% in imports. The Informal Cross Border Trade Survey conducted by the Namibian Statistics Agency conducted in November 2023 revealed that women in this age group are the primary drivers of trade among females, engaging heavily in both exporting goods and importing products.
Females aged 17-26 are significantly active in both exports (8.7%) and imports (10.8%). The agency said this age group contributes remarkably to trade activities, with a strong presence, particularly in imports.
“Their involvement highlights their critical role in the overall trade dynamics. Females aged 37-46 have a moderate share in exports but a high share in imports. Even though, their export activity is significant, their role in importing activities is even more pronounced,” the survey reports showed.
In terms of males, those aged 27-36 lead in export activities (18.5%) and had a significant presence in imports (8%), making them the most active age group in trade among males. Males aged 37-46 had a strong focus on exports (13%), with moderate involvement in imports (5.8%), highlighting their substantial but balanced contribution to trade. Young males aged 17-26 were key contributors to exports (10.4%), with less emphasis on imports (3.3%).
Availability of goods was a slightly more significant factor for imports (46.9%) than for exports (32.8%).
The survey showed that quality is more critical for exports (8.8 %) than for imports (3.6 %). The border posts, covering only Angola and Zambia, revealed a substantial volume of informal cross-border trade between the two countries.
In November 2023, the total value of informal trade across all border posts was N$10.3 million, marking a 46.8% decrease from N$19.4 million in September 2019. Exports accounted for 88.5% of total trade, while imports made up 11.5%. The Oshikango Border Post was the busiest, handling 46.7% of the trade, followed by Katima Mulilo (28.1%), Sarasungu (17.8%), and Omahenene (7.3%).
Namibia reported a trade surplus of N$7.9 million with no trade deficits ever since the inception of the Informal Cross Border Trade Survey.
Trade by commodity revealed that exports totaled N$9.1 million, with cane or beet sugar as the leading export, followed by cereal flours and ‘bread, pastry and cakes’, medicaments and cooking oil. Imports amounted to N$1.2 million, with cereal grains as the top import, followed by fresh or chilled vegetables, pasta, sorghum grain, and fuel wood.
