Omuthiya: The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) on Tuesday hosted a technical workshop on the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics at Omuthiya in the Oshikoto Region. The workshop was aimed at promoting the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) Framework, discussing the harmonisation of statistical production across the country, and highlighting the importance of producing statistics that are fit for purpose and useful for planning and decision-making.

According to Namibia Press Agency, National Statistics System (NSS) coordinator, Linea Elago, noted that they want to improve stakeholder coordination and provide an overview of the Statistics Act and its role in regulating statistical activities in Namibia. 'We want to shed light on the current status of the NSDS implementation, identify statistical capacity gaps and strengthen stakeholders' relationships for improved data sharing and production,' she said.

She further stated that they also intend to ensure the coordination and implementation of the NSDS activities, include Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and seek financial support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and PARIS21.

Deputy Director of Development Planning at the Oshikoto Regional Council, Selma Namgongo, mentioned that the engagement comes at a crucial time when the NSS is under increasing pressure to generate timely, harmonised and disaggregated data to support national development priorities. 'The NSDS offers us a comprehensive framework to coordinate across institutions, improve data quality and coverage, and promote the culture of evidence-based decision-making,' she said.

Namgongo maintained that data is not just an afterthought, but rather the foundation of responsive governance and meaningful development, and by investing in systems, decision-makers will be able to identify needs, allocate resources where they matter most, monitor impact and adjust course where required.