Category Archives: Economic Research

Economic Research

New Vehicle Sales – January 2023

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A total of 798 new vehicles were sold in January, which is 154 fewer than were sold in December, but represents a 12.7% y/y increase from the 708 new vehicles sold in January 2022. On a twelve-month cumulative basis, a total of 11,013 new vehicles were sold up to the end of January 2023, representing an increase of 16.6% from the 9,442 new vehicles sold over the same 12-month period a year ago. 2023 is off to a decent start with January’s new vehicle sales up for the 5th consecutive year.

468 New passenger vehicles were sold during January, a decrease of 7.1% m/m from the 504 sold in December, but 15.0% higher y/y from the 407 new passenger vehicles sold in January 2022. On a rolling 12-month basis, new passenger vehicle sales rose 24.2% y/y at the end of January. 12-month cumulative passenger vehicle sales continue to trend higher and are up by 77.0% from the pandemic low, trending at levels last seen in 2017.

Commercial vehicle sales declined to 330 units in January, representing a contraction of 26.3% m/m but is 9.6% higher year-on-year from the 301 new commercial vehicles sold in January 2022. During the month, 294 light commercial vehicles, 12 medium commercial vehicles, and 24 heavy commercial vehicles were sold. On a year-on-year basis, light commercial sales rose by 10.5% y/y, medium commercial vehicles grew by 140.0% y/y, and heavy and extra heavy vehicle sales declined by 20.0% y/y. All sub-categories, bar heavy- and extra heavy vehicles, have recorded growth on a twelve-month cumulative basis with light commercial vehicle sales increasing by 12.6% y/y, medium commercial vehicles sale rising by 9.5% y/y, while heavy commercial vehicle sales contracted by 12.3% y/y.

Both Toyota and Volkswagen started the new year strong and collectively sold more than half of the new passenger vehicles in January. Toyota captured the largest portion with 38.2% of the market share, followed by Volkswagen with 22.6%. Kia and Haval were the best of the rest, taking 8.8% and 5.1% of the market share, respectively. The other manufacturers consumed the remaining 25.2%.

Toyota also started the year off with a solid grip on the light commercial vehicle segment with a 53.4% market share. Ford came in second place with 8.5% of the market share, followed by Isuzu and Mahindra, with 6.8% each. Mercedes and Toyota collectively led the medium commercial vehicle market, each with a 33.3% market share during the month. Mercedes was also number one in the heavy and extra-heavy commercial vehicle segment, after taking 33.3% of the market share in January, followed by Scania with 16.7% of the market share during the month.

The Bottom Line  

New vehicle sales started the year off on a solid footing. January’s new vehicle sales are the strongest start to a new year since 2018 with just under 800 vehicles sold during the month. Both passenger and commercial segments grew year-on-year in January and sales in both categories continued to rise on a 12-month cumulative basis during the month. Commercial vehicle sales growth is mainly being driven by light- and medium commercial vehicle sales, while the ‘heavy’ segment recorded lower 12-month cumulative sales for a 5th consecutive month.  

The 12-month cumulative new vehicle sales figure of 11,013 is trending at levels last seen in 2019. While this is still less than half the high of 22,664 recorded in April 2015, the relatively strong sales figure reported for January is encouraging, considering that vehicle prices and borrowing costs have risen considerably over the past twelve months.

PSCE – December 2022

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Private sector credit (PSCE) rose by N$377.5 million or 0.3% m/m in December, bringing the cumulative credit outstanding to N$118.2 billion on a normalised basis (removing the interbank swaps accounted in non-resident private sector claims). PSCE grew by 3.9% y/y in 2022, following the 1.0% y/y increase in 2021. On a 12-month cumulative basis, N$4.10 billion worth of credit was extended to the private sector. Of this cumulative issuance, individuals took up N$2.93 billion and corporates increased their borrowings by N$1.55 billion.

Credit Extension to Individuals

Credit extended to individuals rose by 0.7% m/m and 4.8% y/y in December. The month-on-month growth was mainly driven by ‘Other loans and advances’, made up of credit card debt, personal- and term loans, which grew by 1.9% m/m and 15.7% y/y. The annual growth rate of this line item has been ticking up for four consecutive months, with the December growth rate being the highest since June 2020. Overdraft facilities to individuals grew by 1.9% m/m but fell 0.4% y/y, while mortgage loans rose by 0.3% m/m and 2.8% y/y. Instalment credit grew by 0.6% m/m and 2.7% y/y.

Credit Extension to Corporates

Credit extended to corporates fell by 0.2% m/m during the month. On an annual basis, corporate credit grew by 3.5% y/y in 2022, following contractions in both 2020 and 2021. Mortgage loans fell by 0.3% m/m and 3.8% y/y, declining on an annual basis for the third consecutive month. Overdraft facilities to corporates fell by 3.6% m/m but grew by 1.1% y/y. Other loans and advances rose by 1.8% m/m and 9.6% y/y, while instalment credit increased by 0.6% m/m and 13.8% y/y.

Banking Sector Liquidity

The overall liquidity position of the commercial banks strengthened further in December, rising by N$1.40 billion to an average of N$5.84 billion. The BoN ascribed the increase to a rise in diamond sales coupled with portfolio rebalancing. The strong liquidity position meant that the repo balance stood at zero at the end of the month.

Money Supply and Reserves

According to the BoN’s latest monetary statistics, Broad Money Supply (M2) rose by N$898.4 million in December to N$130.0 billion, remaining steady from last year. The stock of international reserves increased by 10.6% y/y to N$48.0 billion in December. The BoN attributed the large increase to the inflow of the AfDB loan during the month, as well as diamond sale proceeds and increased net commercial bank inflows.

Outlook

Overall, PSCE growth rebounded in 2022, following two years of very subdued growth. The normalised 12-month issuance of N$4.10 billion is nearly three times higher than the issuance of 2021, and one-and-a-half times higher than that of 2020. Corporate credit issuance was encouragingly positive in 2022, after two years of corporates delevering their balance sheets. The 12 months also saw individuals taking up N$1.66 billion more than they did in 2021.

There is widespread consensus that we are near the peak of the interest rate hiking cycle, as central banks around the world have been moderating their rate hikes in the last two months. While the current hiking cycle has been more rapid than those witnessed in recent years, domestic interest rates are still accommodative by historical standards. At present, the market is pricing in a final 25bp hike by the SARB at its next MPC meeting.

Building Plans – December 2022

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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.

Only 24 new residential units valued at N$23.7 million were approved in December, which is the lowest monthly approval number for the year and a decrease of N$35.0 million compared to the average monthly approvals of N$58.7 million. Overall, 735 residential units worth N$704.1 million were approved in 2022, representing a 15.55 y/y decline in number terms and a 32.2% y/y drop in value terms from the year prior. 69 New residential units valued at N$36.67 million were completed during December, exceeding the 41 worth N$33.62 million completed on average each month during 2022. In total, 493 new residential units valued at N$403.4 million were completed over the course of 2022.
Only 3 new commercial and industrial units were approved in December, bringing the total number of approvals in 2022 to 57, 20 more than a year ago. In value terms, N$4.0 million worth of new commercial and industrial units were approved during the month, taking the total value of new commercial and industrial unit approvals to N$162.9 million for the year. On average, 5 new commercial and industrial units valued at N$13.6 million were approved each month in 2022. While no new commercial and industrial units were completed in December, the number of units completed during 2022 adds up to 22 worth N$109.3 million, representing a 120% increase in number terms but a 65.2% contraction in value terms compared to 2021.
December saw the 12-month cumulative value of building plans approved continue to fall in both nominal and inflation-adjusted terms, as depicted in the figure above. The 12-month cumulative value of both commercial and residential units approved fell in December with the latter contracting for the 9th consecutive month on an annual basis.

As displayed below, the 12-month cumulative value of completed plans also contracted in both nominal and real terms during the month. December also saw the 12-month cumulative number of building plans completed contract for the 20th consecutive month when compared to the number of plans completed over the same period a year ago.

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.