Basic Income Grant in Namibia

Basic Income Grant (BIG) Coalition of Namibian lobbies Govt to implement N$500 ppm BIG for people aged 0-59 to tackle generational poverty.

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

🌍✨ On this International Human Rights Day, we stand united for the dignity and future of every Namibian!
#OurRights #OurFuture #ImplementBasicIncomeGrantFORALL #RightNow!

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

🌍✨ On this International Human Rights Day, we stand united for the dignity and future of every Namibian!
#OurRights #OurFuture #ImplementBasicIncomeGrantFORALL #RightNow!
A Universal Basic Income Grant is not just a policy; it's a pathway to end poverty!!

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

🎉 Congratulations to Hon. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwa on her historic election as Namibia’s first female president! As we celebrate this milestone, we call on the new administration to implement a Universal Basic Income Grant.

This is our chance to combat poverty and inequality!

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ChiefPatriotIPC

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate Ok, now we know that you are a conspiracy theorist.

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate You think you know economics but you don't. Please do your homework.

[Ms Fillemon @pennynaame]

That's not true; it's just your belief. Other countries provide grants without creating dependency. People are suffering. While we work on creating jobs, they need support to survive. Neglecting this pushes youth into crime, prostitution, and unwanted pregnancies, fueling the push for abortion legalization. It also drives them toward alcohol and drug abuse, contributing to the challenges of an unproductive youth.

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate Now show us the research that your myth is based on.

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate Tax Erosion: Poverty & inequality reduce the number of ppl contributing to the higher tax brackets, shrinking the overall tax base. Poverty & inequality create a vicious cycle that weakens human capital. Is it better to spend on the effects of poverty and inequality?!

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate Myth no. 1: Namibia cannot afford a BIG. It's overlooked that universal BIG would be a massive stimulus to the economy. The grant would be spent largely on basic goods and local investments thus circulating within local economies, and supporting small businesses,

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate Cost of Hunger: N$11 billion or 5.22 % of GDP from stunting alone, based on 2016 figures. Almost ten years later that should be around N$20 billion just for stunting.

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate Cost of poverty-related school dropout: The World Bank has raised concerns about Namibia’s repetition and school dropout rates. The average annual school drop rate is 20,000 learners. Government makes a loss of N$374 million/year due to school dropouts.

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate Cost of Crime: losses due to crime is worryingly more than Namibia’s per capita gross domestic product (GDP), which the World Bank estimates at N$79,800/person/year. That is about N$218/person/day. That totals N$2.4 billion annually for poverty-related crimes.

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate N$ 10.7 billion represents about 3.5% of GDP as predicted for 2025/26. This amount is feasible and can be financed through budget reprioritisation, revenue from natural resources and prevention of illicit financial outflows which cost Namibia over N$ 10 billion per year.

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate This leaves 2,100,000 net beneficiaries who would receive N$ 500 (BIG) per month x 12 months = N$ 12.6 billion. As this money is spent in the local economy, 15% is recouped through VAT payments, resulting in net costs of N$ 10.7 billion.

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate Assessing the actual (net) costs of a BIG: Total population (3,000,000) minus the current social grant recipients (600,000), minus the top 10% income earners (300,000), from whom the funds can be recouped through tax adjustments.

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate Various pilot studies show that recipients of cash grants were four times more interested in launching a new business than those who did not receive the grant.

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate Microeconomic growth for households occurred through preventing the loss of productive capital; accumulating productive assets; increasing innovation in the livelihoods of poor households; increasing investment in education, health, nutrition and labour force participation.

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate Social grants provide not only a short-term fiscal stimulus but a long-term increase in microeconomic (household) productivity. The study found that for every 1% of GDP increase in social protection cash transfer payments, GDP increases by about 1,53% after one quarter.

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate Several international case studies show that a BIG is not only an anti-poverty measure but also a critical intervention to support economic recovery.

[Basic Income Grant in Namibia @bignamibia]

@ITheAdvocate and enabling their survival. The BIG constitutes an economic stimulus package “from below” and is a key enabler of income-generating activities which is precisely what Namibia needs to tackle the triple burden of unemployment, poverty and inequality.