Is Our Population Too Small? Is It Limiting Our Economic Aspirations?

By: Kandjengo kaMkwaanyoka

In my contribution to the economic discourse, there’s one aspect that leaves me conflicted. And that is the suggestion to increase our population/market size by encouraging people to have more children.
The question about the size of the population and its relationship to a country’s economic growth rate and development has long been a subject of debate among economists and policymakers.
And our experiences with foreign investors as a country over the years add a noteworthy perspective to this ongoing discussion.
Namibia is not short of examples of failed projects that suggests that our small population, (market size) standing at 2.6 million, has led to the lack of or loss of investments in key sectors like Export Processing Zones (EPZ), the Peugueto manufacturing plant, the Ramatex factory and even in some mining activities.
In terms of policy direction we are doing well as we have seen politicians and other stakeholders advocating value addition to our raw materials before export, but we need to ask ourselves this: Who will buy those finished goods produced by our farmers and players in other sectors?
This is also the question investors ask themselves when they ponder about coming to Namibia.