Staff Reporter
THE minimum wage for all Namibian workers, except domestic and agricultural workers, has been increased to N$18.00 per hour.
This was announced by Utoni Nujoma, the Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation, at a recent Cabinet Committee briefing. He confirmed the new National Minimum Wage (NMW) will take effect from 1 January 2025.
With regards to domestic and agricultural workers, however, the minister revealed that the minimum wage will be increased gradually over three years until it reaches N$18.00.
He explained that the minimum wage for domestic workers will be N$12.00 per hour from 1 January 2025, N$15.00 per hour from 1 January 2026, and N$18.00 per hour from 1 January 2027. As for agricultural workers, Nujoma revealed that their minimum wage will be N$10.00 per hour from 1 January 2025, N$14.00 per hour from 1 January 2026, and N$18.00 per hour from 1 January 2027.
“The minimum wages must be paid in cash or via cash transfer and may not be reduced by rations or other in-kind donations. Any increase in the NMW during the three-year period will also apply to these groups,” he said.
Nujoma explained that Namibia currently has minimum wages in three sectors, set through collective bargaining agreements that the minister ordered to be extended to the entire sectors, pursuant to Section 71 of the Labour Act, 2007.
“These cover the security sector, where the minimum wage is currently N$8.75 per hour; the agricultural sector, N$6.00 per hour plus food rations; and the construction sector, where wages for job categories differ, with the lowest wage being N$17.83 per hour. In addition, the current minimum wage for domestic workers, set by a wage order, is N$9.03 per hour. Other sectors have remained at the mercy of employers’ wage offers, most of which have been very low. This has resulted in many employees settling for less in order to put bread on the table,” he said.
This decision to increase the minimum wage for most Namibian workers follows the Cabinet’s endorsement of Nujoma’s submission in June 2024 to introduce a NMW of N$18.00, pursuant to the Labour Act (2007).
“Although the new National Minimum Wage is not yet a ‘living wage’, it is a first step in that direction. Therefore, the introduction of the NMW is not just a policy change but a commitment to the core values that define Namibia as a nation. It is a pledge that the government will work to ensure that every worker, regardless of occupation, receives a fair wage that reflects the dignity of their labour and the cost of living in our beloved country,” Nujoma added.
