Category Archives: Building Plans

The City of Windhoek approved 110 building plans in December, representing a 42.4% m/m decline from the 191 building plans approved in November. In value terms, the approvals were valued at N$48.6 million, down 58.3% m/m from the N$134.6 million worth of plans approved in November. In total, 2,467 buildings worth N$1.75 billion were approved in 2022, representing an increase of 0.7% y/y in terms of the number of plans approved but a 10.6% y/y contraction in value terms when compared to 2021, and the lowest value since 2011. 79 building plans valued at N$39.1 million were completed in December, bringing the total number of plans completed in 2022 to 1,020 valued at N$653.2 million, the lowest value since 2017.

December saw 83 additions to properties approved valued at N$20.95 million, compared to the 148 units worth N$80.91 million approved in November. In total, 1,675 additions to properties valued at N$886.7 million were approved in 2022, representing a 6.4% y/y increase in the number of plans approved and a 17.8% y/y surge in value terms when compared to 2021. 10 additions worth N$2.47 million were completed in December, notably below the 36 average monthly additions completed in 2022. Overall, 505 additions worth N$140.6 million were completed in 2022, 365 fewer and N$96.8 million less than last year and has been falling since 2018.

Overall, the construction of new buildings hit a 11-year low in 2022 with the annual value of building plans approved the lowest since 2011. While construction activity in the private sector remains weak, some recovery in activity has been observed in the government sector. According to the Bank of Namibia’s December 2022 Quarterly Bulletin, the government’s expenses reserved for public construction work programmes grew in real terms by 22.9 q/q and 11.5% y/y during Q3 of 2022. Whether this increased investment in construction work by the government will continue over the near term, however, remains to be seen.

While high construction costs continue to weigh on the depressed activity in the sector, the Namibian Statistics Agency’s Q3 PPI data shows that local prices of cement lime and plaster have dropped over the first three quarters of 2022, falling by 11.2% q/q in Q3 alone. However, the 2.6% increase in the minimum wage bill for workers in the construction sector that came into effect in December will all but ease inflationary pressures on the cost of construction over the near term.

Going forward, we see little that will stimulate construction activity in the short-term. Instead, we are of the view that demand will remain depressed under the current economic climate characterised by low economic growth, relatively high inflation, and rising borrowing costs.

191 building plans were approved by the City of Windhoek in November, representing a 27.1% m/m decline from the 262 building plans approved in October. In value terms, the approvals were valued at N$134.6 million, down 38% m/m from the N$157.3 million worth of plans approved in October. Year-to-date, 2,357 building plans worth N$1.71 billion have been approved, up 0.2% y/y in number terms but falling by 7.6% y/y in value terms compared to the same period last year. On a twelve-month cumulative basis, the number of approvals fell by 0.5% y/y to 2,455 and in value terms declined by 5.2% y/y to N$1.82 billion. 84 building plans worth N$42.7 million were completed in November.

148 additions to properties were approved in November valued at N$80.9 million, 34 fewer than the 182 units worth N$84.6 million approved last month. Year-to-date, 1,592 additions to properties worth N$865.8 million were approved, representing a 5.4% y/y increase in number terms and a 20.8% y/y jump in value terms. On a 12-month cumulative basis, 1,655 additions to the value of N$902.2 million were approved in November, 60 more than over the same period last year, and a 21.9% y/y increase in value terms. A total of 36 additions worth N$16.4 million were completed in November, up from the 36 additions worth N$9.94 million completed in October.

38 New residential units were approved in November, notably down from the 67 approved in October and the monthly average of 65 for the year. In value terms, N$48.5 million worth of residential units were approved during the month, representing a 23.2% m/m drop from the N$63.18 million approved in October and 54.0% less than a year ago. Year to date, 711 residential units valued at N$680.4 million were approved, representing a 12.0% y/y decline in number terms and a 29.8% y/y contraction in value terms. November saw 743 residential units approved over the last twelve months, an 11.3% y/y decline from the 838 units approved over the same period a year ago. In value terms, N$749.4 million worth of residential units were approved over the past 12 months, representing a 24.6% y/y decrease. 42 New residential units worth N$18.63 million were completed during November, down from the 52 residential units worth N$62.92 million completed in October.

5 New commercial and industrial units valued at N$5.18 million were approved in November, down from the 13 commercial units worth N$9.55 million approved last month. Year-to-date, 54 commercial and industrial buildings valued at N$158.9 million were approved, compared to the 34 commercial buildings worth N$160.3 million over the same period last year. This represents a 58.8% y/y increase in number but a 0.9% y/y contraction in value. On a rolling 12-month perspective, 57 commercial and industrial buildings valued at N$169.9 million were approved in November, compared to the 35 buildings approved worth N$186.5 million over the corresponding period a year ago. This represents an increase of 62.9% y/y in the number of units approved but an 8.9% y/y contraction in value. 6 Commercial and industrial units worth N$7.65 million were completed in November, the highest number of commercial and industrial units since May 2019 after only 2 units worth N$2.98 million were completed last month.

November saw the 12-month cumulative value of building plans approved continue to fall in both nominal and inflation-adjusted terms, as shown in the figure above. The 12-month cumulative value of both commercial and residential units approved dropped in November with the latter contracting for the 8^th consecutive month on an annual basis.

The 12-month cumulative value of completed plans also dipped in both nominal and real terms, as displayed below. The cumulative number of building plans completed declined for the 19^th consecutive month (year-on-year) to 1,004 in November.

The demand for the construction of new buildings hit a new low in November with the year-to-date value of building plans approved as the lowest value reported over the past decade. As observed last month, 2022 is on course to close out with the lowest annual building plan approval value over the past 10 years. We do not see support for a turnaround in construction demand in the short term. Instead, lacklustre construction activity is likely due to high inflation and ever-rising borrowing costs, conditions which are unfavourable to ignite demand for construction.

The City of Windhoek approved a total of 262 building plans in October, representing a 10.5% m/m increase from the 237 building plans approved in September. In value terms, the approvals were valued at N$157.4 million, rising 5.3% m/m from the N$149.4 million worth of plans approved in September. Year-to-date, 2,166 building plans worth N$1.57 billion have been approved, up 3.6% y/y in number terms but down 3.6% y/y in value terms than at the same time last year. On a twelve-month cumulative basis, the number of approvals climbed by 2.1% y/y to 2,527 but in value terms declined by 1.9% y/y to N$1.90 billion. A total of 88 building plans worth N$75.8 million were completed in October.

October saw 182 additions to properties approved valued at N$84.6 million, up 7.7% m/m in number terms and 46.6% m/m higher in value terms. Year-to-date 1,444 additions to properties worth N$784.8 million received the nod, representing an 8.9% y/y increase in number terms and a 29.0% y/y increase in value terms. On a 12-month cumulative basis, 1,692 additions to the value of N$929.3 million were approved in October which represents a 7.4% y/y increase in number terms and a 27.7% y/y jump in value terms. 34 Additions worth N$9.94 million were completed in October, notably down from the 52 additions worth N$17.78 million completed in September.

67 New residential units were approved in October, slightly up from the 62 approved in September. In value terms, N$63.2 million worth of residential units were approved during the month, representing a 30.0% m/m rise from the N$48.6 million approved in September but 22.4% lower than a year prior. Year to date, 673 residential units valued at N$631.9 million were approved, representing an 8.2% y/y decline in number terms and a 26.8% y/y contraction in value terms. October saw 780 residential units approved over the last twelve months, registering a 10.0% y/y decline from the 867 units approved a year ago. In value terms, N$806.4 million worth of residential units were approved over the past 12 months, representing a 21.0% y/y decrease. 52 New residential units worth N$62.92 million were completed during October, up 85.1% m/m from the N$33.99 million worth of plans completed in September.

13 New commercial and industrial units valued at N$9.55 million were approved in October. While the number of approvals reached double digits for the first time since February 2020, the value of the approvals was tepid and came in below the monthly average reported for the year thus far. Year-to-date, 49 commercial and industrial buildings valued at N$153.7 million were approved, compared to the 31 commercial buildings worth N$156.8 million over the same period last year. This represents a 58.1% y/y increase in number but a 2.0% y/y drop in value. On a rolling 12-month perspective, 55 commercial and industrial buildings valued at N$168.3 million were approved in October, compared to the 34 approved buildings worth N$193.0 million over the corresponding period a year ago. This represents an increase of 61.8% y/y in number but a 12.8% y/y contraction in value. Only 2 commercial and industrial units worth N$2.98 million were completed in October, a sizable drop from the N$55.7 million worth completed last month.

The 12-month cumulative value of building plans approved dipped slightly in both nominal and inflation-adjusted terms, as shown in the figure above. This was largely led by the 12-month cumulative y/y decline in the value of commercial and industrial approvals as well as residential units approved. The 12-month cumulative value (and number) of residential units approved also contracted for the 7^th consecutive month on a year-on-year basis. The cumulative number of building plans approved also dipped slightly in October.

The 12-month cumulative value of plans completed picked up slightly in both nominal and real terms, as displayed below. The cumulative number of building plans completed declined for the 18^th consecutive month (year-over-year) to 1,059 in October.

Overall, appetite for new construction remains mute evident from the fact that October recorded the second lowest year-to-date building plan approvals in value terms over the past 10 years, and only marginally higher than the lows of 2020. With high inflation and rising borrowing costs continuing to put pressure on the demand for building construction, 2022 is on course to end with the lowest annual building plan approvals value over the past decade.