The Namibian government has commissioned a feasibility study meant to determine whether the country can introduce a basic income grant (BIG) to benefit roughly 1.2 million people.
Once finalized, the study would inform whether the country would implement the grant, and when that would likely occur.
Namibia’s Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare Zephania Kameeta said on Friday that the BIG is part of the government’s Social Protection Policy that has already been drafted, and needs to be finalized.
The grant, if implemented, would cost the government roughly 3.6 billion Namibian dollars (243 million U.S. dollars) a year.
The BIG was first introduced in Namibia 10 years ago, as a pilot project, by the BIG Coalition which consisted of individuals, churches, non-governmental organizations and so forth. Enditem
