The civil service wage bill is expected to swell from N$35,4 billion in the current 2024/25 financial year to N$37,1 billion in the 2026/27 financial year.
The public wage bill caters for 107 000 civil servants.
In the previous financial year, the wage bill stood at N$32,8 billion, indicating a jump of N$2,6 billion.
Economist Omu Kakujaha-Matundu says Namibia tops the Southern African Development Community list when it comes to its public wage bill.
“The government is well aware of this and has on numerous occasions expressed its willingness to create a leaner and more efficient public sector.”
Kakujaha-Matundu says the government is also well aware of the risk of having such a large chunk of the labour force relying on the public sector and has expressed its willingness to reduce it.
Previously, finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi sought to trim the wage bill by implementing voluntary retirement in the public sector for those between 55 and 60 years old
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