Namibia R&D Spending
Research and development expenditure as % of GDP GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS
Namibia's r&d spending was 0.78% in 2025, ranked 41st globally. This represents a 20.6% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 2010–2025.
Overview
Namibia's r&d spending stood at 0.78% in 2025, a rise of +0.13% from 2022. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 0.78% by 2025. Namibia ranked 41st globally.
Namibia’s gross domestic expenditure on research and development (R&D) has risen sharply from 0.14 percent of GDP in 2010 to 0.78 percent in 2025, placing the country 41st globally and narrowly behind peers such as Luxembourg (0.83 percent) and Bulgaria (0.76 percent). The all‑time peak of 0.78 percent, recorded in 2025, reflects a more than five‑fold increase over the all‑time trough of 0.14 percent a decade earlier, suggesting sustained policy emphasis on innovation and capacity building. The four‑year coverage window indicates that recent fiscal cycles have consistently allocated higher shares of national income to R&D, aligning Namibia with a small group of emerging economies that have accelerated scientific investment. Continued growth will likely depend on maintaining fiscal space for research, expanding private‑sector participation, and strengthening university‑industry linkages, which could further elevate Namibia’s standing in the global R&D hierarchy.
Data & projection
| Year | R&D Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* trend | 0.78% | - | - |
| 2025 | 0.78% | +0.13% | #41 |
| 2022 | 0.65% | +0.30% | #41 |
| 2014 | 0.35% | +0.21% | #62 |
| 2010 | 0.14% | – | #82 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Namibia matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 2009. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw r&d spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Namibia's r&d spending was 0.78% in 2025. Ranked 41st globally. This represents a 20.6% increase from the previous year.
Namibia's r&d spending peaked at 0.78% in 2025.
The lowest r&d spending in Namibia was 0.14% in 2010.
Namibia ranks 41st globally in r&d spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Namibia's r&d spending is projected to reach 0.78% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The r&d spending of Namibia in 2025 was 0.78%. This ranks 41st in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_namibia_rd-spending,
title = {Namibia R&D Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/namibia/rd-spending/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}