Swakopmund: Namibia has over 419 informal settlements that house more than 200,000 urban residents, as revealed during the launch of the Informal Settlements Baseline Report in Swakopmund. Statistician-General and CEO of the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), Alex Shimuafeni, presented these findings, highlighting the results of an assessment covering 563 settlements across 57 local authorities.According to Namibia Press Agency, Shimuafeni pointed out that approximately 42 percent of urban households across the nation live in informal housing conditions. Based on the 2023 Population and Housing Census, an estimated 213,000 individuals in urban areas reside in such conditions, with the Khomas Region showing the highest concentration.In terms of households, about 176,000 urban households are in informal housing, with 67,077 situated in Khomas. Of the 419 informal settlements identified, 224 have been planned, and 160 have seen some level of formalization. However, only 16 settlements have complete basic servi ces like water, sewer, electricity, and roads.The report also highlights significant service delivery gaps, noting that about 7.4 percent of informal settlements lack access to water, 86 percent do not have sewer infrastructure, 70 percent are without electricity, and 93 percent lack proper road infrastructure.Shimuafeni added that 98.3 percent of these settlements are on land owned by local authorities, with a small proportion on privately-owned or partially privately-owned land. He noted that 61.6 percent of informal settlements have been profiled, which is seen as the initial step toward planning and upgrading.Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa, in remarks delivered on his behalf, stated that the baseline report addresses the Cabinet's directive to assess the scale and status of informal settlements in Namibia. The document offers the government and stakeholders a solid empirical basis to facilitate evidence-based decision-making and targeted interventions as part of the sixth Nation al Development Plan.The baseline report is intended to serve as a benchmark for measuring progress, as the government aims to reduce informal settlements by 50 percent by the end of the 2028/29 financial year.