What has been done:

The enabling environment for sustainable enterprises in Namibia was assessed through a careful review of secondary data, findings from a large national enterprise survey undertaken in Namibia, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with relevant stakeholders, and supplementary information from published and unpublished materials. The assessment produced a detailed identification of barriers that discourage investment, entrepreneurship, job creation and firm competitiveness.

In line with its mandate to contribute to the development of a conducive environment for enterprises in Namibia, the Namibian Employers’ Federation (NEF) has called upon the ILO to assist the organisation to assess the current business environment in the country and to identify areas for improvement. The information gathered through the assessment enables ILO constituents to identify priorities for the promotion of sustainable enterprises and the transition to formality. For Namibia, the analysis of the enabling environment provides an entry points for the development of policy positions and structured and evidence-based advocacy efforts.

The Survey and its sample:

The EESE Enterprise Survey of Namibia was conducted in December 2016, with the aim of identifying and assessing business environment factors that affect business development and job creation in the country. The survey was carried out to investigate 8 key factors that affect the business environment. The survey was conducted with a total of 683 respondents, 404 owners or partners, 155 managers and 124 employees. Of the respondents 263 were from SMEs, 206 from large enterprises, 103 were employees, and 100 from informal enterprises.