Author Archives: IJGResearch

A total of 274 building plans to the value of N$195 million were approved by the City of Windhoek in March 2015. On a year‑to‑date basis, 672 plans were approved compared to 643 plans over the same period last year. In value terms, plans approved year-to-date are worth N$462.3 million compared to N$795.0 million for the same period in 2013, down 41.8%. This year to date decrease in value of plans approved is mostly due base effects as three large commercial projects were approved by the municipality in February 2014. On a monthly basis, 61 more plans were approved in March than in February, and the total value of plans approved was up 13% m/m.

The 12 month cumulative number of plans approved reverted from the downtrend experienced for the last year and a half, rising to 2,875 compared to 2,749 in February. The 12-month cumulative value of plans approved totaled N$1.966 billion, down 18.6% y/y, with the base again having a drag effect.

In our view the construction sector will remain one of the leading growth and development sectors for 2015 in the Namibian economy, with both private sector and government having aggressive development plans. March plans building plan approvals are showing signs of this development and we expect this to continue. However, many such plans fall out of the Windhoek municipal area, and as such are not captured in the monthly building plan statistics.