Chamwe Kaira
Fuel consumption in Namibia increased during the third quarter of 2025, pointing to firmer economic activity, according to the Bank of Namibia’s (BoN) third-quarter economic indicators.
BoN said total fuel consumption rose by 7.2% year-on-year to 320 million litres during the quarter.
The increase was driven by higher demand for diesel and petrol, which grew by 4.8% and 13.5%, respectively. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, total fuel consumption increased by 7.3%.
Business registrations also recorded strong growth during the quarter. BoN, which treats business registrations as a leading indicator of future economic activity, reported that new registrations rose by 59.1% year on year to 5 325 in the third quarter of 2025.
The increase was largely driven by close corporations, which rose by 66.8%. Registrations of private (Pty) Ltd companies increased by 2.3% year on year. On a quarterly basis, total business registrations rose by 48%, while the seasonally adjusted series showed a lower increase of 23%.
Employment in the wholesale and retail trade sector declined by 4% year-on-year during the quarter.
The central bank said the decline mainly reflected lower employment in the furniture and supermarket subsectors. Employment increased in the wholesale, clothing and vehicle subsectors.
On a quarter-on-quarter basis, employment in the sector fell by 1.8%.
Employment in the manufacturing sector moved in the opposite direction. Manufacturing employment rose by 6% year on year in the third quarter of 2025.
BoN said gains were recorded across several subsectors, including food products, chemicals, printing and publishing, basic metals and textiles. The increase was linked to higher production capacity for both local and export markets. On a quarterly basis, manufacturing employment increased by 0.2%.
Wages in the wholesale and retail trade sector increased on a year-on-year basis. The nominal wage bill rose by 8.1%, while average wages increased by 4.8%, reflecting improved pay in major subsectors, especially wholesale and supermarkets. On a quarterly basis, the nominal wage bill declined by 0.9%, while average wages increased by 1.2%.
The manufacturing sector also recorded year-on-year wage growth. The Bank of Namibia reported that the sector’s nominal wage bill increased by 7.9%, while average wages rose by 1.8% during the quarter. The increases were mainly seen in beverages, food and other food products, as well as basic metals. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the nominal wage bill and average wages declined by 2.3% and 2.5%, respectively.
Unit labour costs in the manufacturing sector increased slightly compared to the same period in 2024. Total unit labour costs rose by 0.1% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2025, driven mainly by higher costs in the minerals, food products and beverages subsectors.
On a quarterly basis, unit labour costs were broadly unchanged, according to the Bank of Namibia.
Caption
Fuel consumption rose by 7.2% year on year to 320 million litres in the third quarter of 2025.
- Photo: Contributed
