YouTube video by 月ノ美兎

Namibia’s ambition to transform its cultural and creative sectors from informal passion projects into a significant economic driver took centre stage this week, as the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) officially opened its 11th Cultural Festival. The event, held on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, at the Lower Parking

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah launches NDP6 NBC Online Mon, 07/21/2025 - 19:30

China projects aligned to NDP6 – Weiping  The Namibian -

Namibian youth have been urged to prepare for the emerging oil and gas sector. The call was made during the Oratores Novi Oil and Gas Edition debate competition held in Windhoek. Held under the theme "NDP6 and the energy sector: Exploring youth perspectives in national resource development", the competition brought together learners and educators to discuss the country's petroleum future. In her speech, the Head of the Upstream Petroleum Unit, Kornelia Shilunga, urged the learners to prepare themselves for opportunities in the country's emerging sectors. She emphasised that a successful petroleum industry requires more than extraction, but skills development, local enterprises, technology transfer, research and strong institutions. Shilunga's statement was delivered on her behalf by the founder of Oratores Novi, Ndayola Mulongeni. "For the learners in this room, that responsibility begins with becoming informed about the country and the economy in which we will virtually work and lead. It means understanding that the opportunities associated with oil and gas extend across many disciplines and that the skills we develop today can determine the extent to which we are able to participate tomorrow." She encouraged the participant to take their studies seriously, explore career pathways, and develop the critical thinking skills that debate helps build. Justina Kabuku is a geoscientist at NamCor. "What I've discovered about oil and gas is that there really is a place for every single person. Because what we tend to forget is that many times we focus on 'I want to be a geologist, I want to be an engineer, but people on the rig also fall sick, so we also have medics, doctors, nurses, and caterers, because people still need to eat." Cabinet and industry experts continue to stress that Namibia's emerging oil and gas sector will require a wide range of skills beyond the traditional technical roles. Hage Secondary School emerged as the overall champion at the inaugural Oratores Novi Oil and Gas Debate. Westmont High School was named First Runner-Up, while Centaurus High School took Second Runner-Up. The competition also recognised individual debaters for their analytical abilities and eloquence. Wisdom Kambara from Centaurus High School secured first place, followed by Joel Uushona from Westmont High School in second place. Loide Kamati from Augustineum Secondary School and Johannes Johannes from Hage Secondary School shared third and fourth places, respectively, while Jared Kandi from Centaurus High School completed the top five in fifth place.

[Namibian] China says its priority projects are being aligned with Namibia's Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) to support the government's development objectives.

The Frans Indongo Group has donated a tractor worth N$800,000 to the Ukwangali Traditional Authority. The tractor will be used to assist the community in agricultural production and strengthening food security. Handing over the tractor at Kahenge in Kavango West, Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare appreciated the public-private partnership. "Today we see the partnership NDP6 asks of us: Government, traditional leadership and business are working toward one goal. The Kavango West Region is blessed with fertile land, water from the Kavango River, and a people with a long farming tradition. This potential must be unlocked. Land has not been an issue. Access to tools to till it has been the stumbling block. Now, help is here." He encouraged a fair arrangement for the sharing of the tractor. Frans Indongo Group, represented by its chairman Martin Shipanga, says the donation is not the last. "We don't know what we are going to do with Hompa, but what we are offering Hompa is our willingness. So on that note we want to say that as the Indongo group we have a duty and a responsibility to make a contribution to the development of our country in different ways and also make an impact in the communities in which we serve." The Development and Economic Committee of the Ukwangali Traditional Authority has prioritised agricultural mechanisation, livestock and feedlot development, community infrastructure, food security, youth empowerment, and strategic partnerships with Government and the private sector. "It is not going to be for free. For those that can afford it, they will be asked to pay because I know my people. You will tell everyone that we got a free tractor. Those who can afford it will pay, but mostly the elderly who are raising orphans – those ones will use it for free," stressed Ukwangali TAs Hompa Eugene Siwombe. The tractor still needs a trailer, planter and a plough for it to operate fully.

YouTube video by 月ノ美兎

Staff Writer  The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), in strategic partnership with FirstRand Namibia, recently convened close to 40 top executive business leaders for a CEOs’ Roundtable on Namibia’s Competitiveness.  The roundtable was also attended by I-Ben Nashandi, the executive director of the National Planning Commission, which tracks Namibia’s competitiveness in line with NDP6, as well as Shali Shindume, the economic advisor to the President and Dagmar Honsbein, chairperson of the Economic Recovery Task Force. The executive engagement was organised in response to Namibia’s performance decline in the 2026 IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY). The 2026 edition, the 38th consecutive edition of the WCY, covers 70 economies and 341 criteria. It marks Namibia’s second consecutive appearance in the report, ranked alongside predominantly high and middle-income countries, including five African peers including Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. In the 2026 IMD WCY, Namibia ranked 69th out of 70 benchmarked economies (in 2025, Namibia ranked 68th out of 69 economies), with the country’s score dropping from 37.48 in 2025 to 28.48 in 2026. The report highlighted systemic performance declines in the country’s ranking across all four main factors including business efficiency, government efficiency, infrastructure, and economic performance, each of which are based on 5 sub-factors, for a total of 20 sub-factors.  In terms of performance based on score, only the economic performance factor saw an improvement in its score (from 21.74 in 2025 to 22.30 in 2026), driven by improvements in rank and score on the sub-factors of International Trade and International Investment. Delivering the opening address, NIPDB acting chief executive officer, Julia Muetudhana, stressed that competitiveness directly shapes the investment climate and economic wellbeing.  Conrad Dempsey, chief executive officer of FirstRand Namibia, highlighted that global interest in Namibia must be matched by institutional capacity to execute. “How easy is it to create value in Namibia compared with somewhere else? Every significant investment decision begins there. Before businesses ask how much they can earn, they ask how difficult it will be to succeed,” noted Dempsey. Executive director of the National Planning Commission, I-Ben Nashandi reaffirmed government commitment under Vision 2030 and NDP6, framing the IMD Report as an urgent catalyst. “The current competitiveness rating is a call to action. We commit to NDP6 implementation to ensure we derive outcomes. Chasing the implementation of the plans is an imperative that will get us to improve competitiveness. Automation of services must be matched with internal capacities to drive digital transformation. Reforms need to be uniformly dispersed across all sectors, with timelines and champions to drive them,” said Nashandi. As a key output of this executive engagement, NIPDB and FirstRand Namibia will consolidate the insights and consensus recommendations into a comprehensive advisory note for Cabinet.

Namibia will promote its interests in energy transition and innovation-led growth at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, from 11–12 May 2026. Vice President Lucia Witbooi will represent Namibia, engaging in discussions on innovation, food security, and renewable energy. Witbooi is expected to hold high-level meetings to advance Namibia’s Vision 2030 and NDP6 priorities, focusing on green industrialisation, infrastructure development, and innovation-led growth. The summit, themed "Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth," will bring together African leaders, the President of France, African Union representatives, development institutions, and private sector stakeholders. Deputy Minister Gaudentia Kröhne said, “Namibia’s ambition is not to build one isolated sector but an industrialized system. We aim to move from importing industrial capacity to building it locally. The Sixth National Development Plan provides that Namibia seeks sustainable economic growth through diversification, industrialisation, manufacturing expansion, infrastructure development, and employment creation. The plan targets increasing the secondary industry to 25% of GDP and manufacturing to 18%.” The summit aims to redefine Africa-France relations beyond donor-recipient frameworks toward balanced, mutually beneficial partnerships, addressing food security, renewable energy, infrastructure financing, climate resilience, trade, digital transformation, industrialisation, and youth empowerment.

Patience Makwele The government wants sport to contribute 3.5% to Namibia’s employment sector under the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), up from the 1% contribution recorded during the previous development plan. Education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Minister Sanet Steenkamp said the target forms part of the government’s push to professionalise sport and create […]

 Prime minister Elijah Ngurare, National Assembly, Windhoek, 25 April 2025 I rise to present the motivation for the budget allocation for Vote 26: National Planning Commission (NPC), for the financial year 2025/26 and the corresponding medium-term expenditure framework. The NPC, as mandated under Article 129 of the Constitution, has a responsibility to plan the priorities and direct the course of national development. The NPC also monitors the effectiveness of development programmes through monitoring and evaluation. As I begin this presentation, allow me, on behalf of the NPC, to congratulate president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on her historic election and assumption of office as the first woman and fifth president of the Republic of Namibia.  This milestone solidifies Namibia’s commitment to women empowerment. I also congratulate Ericah Shafudah for the noble task of presenting the budget to this august House. Summary of activities and achievements for the 2024/25 financial year: The budget allocation for Vote 26: NPC for the 2024/25 financial year was N$232 488 000.
  The expenditure incurred amounted to N$224 281 848, translating into a budget execution rate of 96.47%. Activities undertaken during the 2024/25 financial year include: • The 2023 Economic Development Report (EDR), which provides a five-year synopsis on socio-economic developments globally, regionally, and domestically. • The 2024 Poverty, Vulnerability and Inequality in Namibia report, analysing poverty levels, income and wealth inequality using the Namibia Household Income Expenditure Survey (NHIES) 2015/16 data. • Coordination and production of the Development Budget for the 2024/25 to 2026/27 MTEF period. • Development of the Monitoring and Evaluation Policy and Evaluation Guidelines for the public sector. • Mobilisation of N$2.5 billion in official development assistance from development partners. • Hosting of the 2024 Development Partners Forum to enhance collaboration and implementation of national development plans. • Finalisation and launch of the Census Post Enumeration Survey report on 30 October 2024. • Conducting the pilot survey for the Namibia Household Income and Expenditure Survey (NHIES) in all 14 regions. • Drafting and stakeholder consultations on the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6). • Finalisation and release of the National Population and Housing Census main report on 30 October 2024. Vote allocation for the 2025/26 financial year For the 2025/26 financial year, the NPC is allocated a total of N$371 628 000, comprising: • N$311 628 000 for operational expenditures • N$60 000 000 for development expenditure Programmes Programme 01: Macro-economic Planning – N$14 214 000
Responsible for socio-economic research to inform national development planning. Planned activities include: • Production of the 2024 Economic Development Report • Annual Industrial Survey in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Social Grants Management, Bank of Namibia and Namibia Statistics Agency • Engagement on the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) Dialogue Report • Finalisation and launch of NDP6 and public awareness campaigns • Formulation of the Development Planning Framework for Namibia • National skills audit and production of the Skills Gap Report • Review of the National Human Resource Plan (HRP) 2010–2025 and production of HRP 2025–2035 • Socio-economic research on identified national issues Programme 02: Regional and Sectoral Planning and Policy Coordination – N$15 967 000
Ensures national priorities are aligned and implemented. Planned activities include: • Formulation of regional development profiles and plans • Evaluation of government socio-economic policies • Coordination of the development budget and project reviews Programme 03: Monitoring, Evaluation and Development Partners Coordination – N$38,573,000
Aims to track government performance and enhance partnerships. Planned activities include: • Development of a monitoring and evaluation plan and tools for NDP6 • Strengthening of data management through the Soft Expert system and creation of an M&E dashboard • Establishment of planning and M&E units in all offices, ministries, and agencies • Ongoing engagement with development partners, including the management of N$3.2 billion in official development assistance Programme 99: Supervision, Coordination and Support Services – N$302 874 000
Covers administrative functions and support to the Namibia Statistics Agency and Africa Peer Review Mechanism (Namibia). Includes: • Funding for NHIES (April 2025 – April 2026), to provide key indicators such as poverty and income distribution • Pilot survey for the Census of Agriculture • N$60 million development budget for purchasing an office building for the National Planning Commission With this motivation, I submit for the consideration and approval of this august House the proposed budget of Vote 26: National Planning Commission totalling N$371 628 000. I thank you. Vote-26-National-Planning-Commission-1Download The post National Planning Commission wants N$371.6 million for 2025/26 goals appeared first on The Namibian. Prime minister Elijah Ngurare, National Assembly, Windhoek, 25 April 2025 I rise to present the motivation for the budget allocation for Vote 26: National Planning Commission (NPC), for the financial year 2025/26 and the corresponding medium-term expenditure framework. The NPC, as mandated under Article 129 of the Constitution, has a responsibility to plan the priorities and direct the course of national development. The NPC also monitors the effectiveness of development programmes through monitoring and evaluation. As I begin this presentation, allow me, on behalf of the NPC, to congratulate president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on her historic election and assumption of office as the first woman and fifth president of the Republic of Namibia.  This milestone solidifies Namibia’s commitment to women empowerment. I also congratulate Ericah Shafudah for the noble task of presenting the budget to this august House. Summary of activities and achievements for the 2024/25 financial year: The budget allocation for Vote 26: NPC for the 2024/25 financial year was N$232 488 000.
  The expenditure incurred amounted to N$224 281 848, translating into a budget execution rate of 96.47%. Activities undertaken during the 2024/25 financial year include: • The 2023 Economic Development Report (EDR), which provides a five-year synopsis on socio-economic developments globally, regionally, and domestically. • The 2024 Poverty, Vulnerability and Inequality in Namibia report, analysing poverty levels, income and wealth inequality using the Namibia Household Income Expenditure Survey (NHIES) 2015/16 data. • Coordination and production of the Development Budget for the 2024/25 to 2026/27 MTEF period. • Development of the Monitoring and Evaluation Policy and Evaluation Guidelines for the public sector. • Mobilisation of N$2.5 billion in official development assistance from development partners. • Hosting of the 2024 Development Partners Forum to enhance collaboration and implementation of national development plans. • Finalisation and launch of the Census Post Enumeration Survey report on 30 October 2024. • Conducting the pilot survey for the Namibia Household Income and Expenditure Survey (NHIES) in all 14 regions. • Drafting and stakeholder consultations on the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6). • Finalisation and release of the National Population and Housing Census main report on 30 October 2024. Vote allocation for the 2025/26 financial year For the 2025/26 financial year, the NPC is allocated a total of N$371 628 000, comprising: • N$311 628 000 for operational expenditures • N$60 000 000 for development expenditure Programmes Programme 01: Macro-economic Planning – N$14 214 000
Responsible for socio-economic research to inform national development planning. Planned activities include: • Production of the 2024 Economic Development Report • Annual Industrial Survey in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Social Grants Management, Bank of Namibia and Namibia Statistics Agency • Engagement on the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) Dialogue Report • Finalisation and launch of NDP6 and public awareness campaigns • Formulation of the Development Planning Framework for Namibia • National skills audit and production of the Skills Gap Report • Review of the National Human Resource Plan (HRP) 2010–2025 and production of HRP 2025–2035 • Socio-economic research on identified national issues Programme 02: Regional and Sectoral Planning and Policy Coordination – N$15 967 000
Ensures national priorities are aligned and implemented. Planned activities include: • Formulation of regional development profiles and plans • Evaluation of government socio-economic policies • Coordination of the development budget and project reviews Programme 03: Monitoring, Evaluation and Development Partners Coordination – N$38,573,000
Aims to track government performance and enhance partnerships. Planned activities include: • Development of a monitoring and evaluation plan and tools for NDP6 • Strengthening of data management through the Soft Expert system and creation of an M&E dashboard • Establishment of planning and M&E units in all offices, ministries, and agencies • Ongoing engagement with development partners, including the management of N$3.2 billion in official development assistance Programme 99: Supervision, Coordination and Support Services – N$302 874 000
Covers administrative functions and support to the Namibia Statistics Agency and Africa Peer Review Mechanism (Namibia). Includes: • Funding for NHIES (April 2025 – April 2026), to provide key indicators such as poverty and income distribution • Pilot survey for the Census of Agriculture • N$60 million development budget for purchasing an office building for the National Planning Commission With this motivation, I submit for the consideration and approval of this august House the proposed budget of Vote 26: National Planning Commission totalling N$371 628 000. I thank you. Vote-26-National-Planning-Commission-1Download The post National Planning Commission wants N$371.6 million for 2025/26 goals appeared first on The Namibian.

Patience Makwele The government wants sport to contribute 3.5% to Namibia’s employment sector under the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), up from the 1% contribution recorded during the previous development plan. Education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Minister Sanet Steenkamp said the target forms part of the government’s push to professionalise sport and create sustainable careers in the sector. “While we have not yet fully realised that target, our resolve has not wavered, indeed, it has grown,” Steenkamp said. Steenkamp was speaking on Thursday at the Sports Seminar on “Unlocking Namibia’s Sport Economy” and the launch of the Namibia Country Sport Profile at the Mercure Hotel in Windhoek. The ministry’s executive director, Gerard Vries, said the NDP5 Terminal Review recorded sport’s contribution to employment at 1%, despite the sector’s potential. He said this potential is particularly significant given that 71% of Namibians are under the age of 35, with the country having a large pool of young people and sporting talent. Steenkamp said professionalising sport should not only benefit athletes, but also create opportunities for coaches, administrators and others working within the wider sport industry. “When we speak of professionalising our sport sector, we speak of something deeply human: the dignity of a career,” she said. For the 2026/27 financial year, the ministry has allocated N$327 million towards the development and promotion of sport. The allocation includes N$103.4 million for operations and N$223.6 million for development. Steenkamp said the funding should translate into jobs and sustainable careers. “This investment must, and will, yield results we can all be proud of: jobs created, careers launched, and lives transformed through sport,” she said. She said professionalisation would require more than government funding, calling for stronger legislation, inter-ministerial cooperation and greater corporate involvement. The minister also proposed measures such as athlete development grants, sport venture capital, facility investment funds and tax incentives to attract private investment into sport. She further called for consideration of a national sport levy and the operationalisation of the Sport Development Fund to support infrastructure and employment creation. Vries said recent sporting events had shown the economic potential of the sector, citing the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, which he said generated an estimated N$380.8 million in economic impact. Namibia is also set to participate in the Youth Olympics and the AUSC Region 5 Youth Games, while the country will co-host the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in October 2027 with South Africa and Zimbabwe. Steenkamp said major sporting events could help showcase Namibia, develop infrastructure and inspire young people to pursue opportunities in sport. However, the Country Sport Profile also highlighted challenges including fragmented governance, limited commercialisation, uneven distribution of sporting facilities and outdated legislation. Namibia’s Sport Policy dates back to 1993, while the Sport Act was enacted in 2003.  Steenkamp said reviewing and amending the legislation would be among the ministry’s priorities as it seeks to modernise the sector. She said the ministry would also work on clearer roles for stakeholders, stronger governance standards, improved sport data systems and strategies to attract private-sector investment.

UNICEF is exploring a partnership with the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) to strengthen public awareness on child rights, disability, gender-based violence and other issues affecting children. UNICEF's Representative, Samuel Ocran, congratulated the NBC's SADC award-winning In the Community programme, saying 'community-focused programming' gives a voice to vulnerable groups and can help advance child rights priorities outlined in the Sixth National Development Plan -NDP6. "You see, that is where you come in. That's why the community programme becomes so important, because with the community programme services get to those people who need them. And of course, with the children's programme, it also helps them to know the importance and the awareness of certain things." He said UNICEF has funding earmarked for disability-related programmes and indicated that the organisation is open to working with NBC to create greater awareness around disability and other child rights issues. Ocran also called for programmes targeting boys, saying the responsibility for addressing issues affecting the boy child should not rest solely with the First Gentleman. The NBC's Director General, Menesia Muinjo, welcomed the proposed partnership. "It is true, it's our mandate, and we want to do more. But at times, some challenges in terms of limitations are really not allowing us to reach the farthest corner of this country. And that's why when you really hear a message that says, "I'm there to hold your hand and make it happen." The producer and presenter of In the Community, Elago Shitaatala, said the programme was created to give communities a platform to raise issues affecting their daily lives. "But what we have noticed in the work that we've been doing with the previous seasons that we've worked on is that there has been great impact." Acting Chief of News and Programming, Peter Denk, said UNICEF would be an important resource in helping NBC develop programming that creates measurable impact among beneficiaries. "We are not always able to do it because of resource limitations, and also there's a lot of pressure for us to do the next days and other things. But I think through with your assistance that you have offered, I think we, and because you are in the field." NBC's Content Hub Head of Department, Glynis Beukes-Kappa, called for the revival of peer-to-peer and psychosocial support programming for children. "Peer-to-peer and psychosocial support programmes should be brought back through dramas and children's programming, because these platforms can help children understand the issues and know where to seek support."

The Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp, has called on the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) to prioritise the advancement of local creative talents on its platforms. This follows the signing of an MoU aimed at strengthening Namibia's film and creative industries. The initiative is aligned with NDP6 and focuses on developing local film practitioners, creating jobs and building a sustainable creative economy. The Namibia Content Creation Plan is a grassroots initiative developed by the Filmmakers Association of Namibia (FAN) in collaboration with the Namibia Film Commission (NFC) to develop a sustainable creative economic ecosystem. The Education Ministry has committed N$17.5 million, with about 470 direct jobs expected to be created. “We also look forward to the NBC playing an important role in supporting this initiative through its broadcasting platforms and networks. We hope NBC will partner in the earmarked initiatives and contribute to ensuring that Namibian content, made by us and for us, can reach audiences in Namibia, across the region and beyond,” noted Dr Steenkamp. The Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Emma Theofelus, stated that the creative industry should be recognised beyond entertainment, and efforts should be aimed at creating a professional ecosystem that can attract financial institutions and support sustainable economic growth. “This MOU is primarily anchored by the Namibia Content Creation Plan, which will see the production of a national soap opera, the commissioning of two distinct limited television series across various genres and the commissioning of 14 regional short films. The government will also be in a position to provide the much-needed production equipment which will fill the equipment gap that now exists.” The NFC Chairperson Esther Beukes explained that cooperation between the two ministries is important because of their complementary roles in communication, education, arts and culture. “So this MoU creates an opportunity for us to come together, for us to collaborate and work together, to align our mandates, our resources and our expertise.” NFC will play a key role in implementing the areas of cooperation, while FAN and other stakeholders will support the development of Namibia's film industry.

Staff Reporter The Ministry of Environment is targeting an increase in the tourism sector’s contribution to Namibia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to N$18.5 billion by 2030. The target was outlined by the Ministry’s Executive Director, Sikongo Haihambo, during a presentation on the Ministry’s strategic overview and its alignment with the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6). He emphasised that one of the Ministry’s key goals is to increase tourist arrivals, the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP and revenue from the gaming sector. Haihambo revealed that the tourism sector contributed N$14.3 billion to GDP in 2022. The Ministry, he added, aims to increase this to N$16 billion during the 2026/2027 financial year, N$16.7 billion in 2027/2028, N$17.4 billion in 2028/2029 and N$18.5 billion in the 2029/2030 financial year. The Ministry is also targeting substantial growth in gaming revenue, which stood at N$32 million in 2024. Haihambo said the target is to increase this to N$45.6 million in 2026/2027, N$60.1 million in 2027/2028, N$67.8 million in 2028/2029 and N$76.5 million in 2029/2030. He said increased tourist arrivals would be crucial to achieving these targets. He highlighted that Namibia recorded about 863,872 tourist arrivals in 2023 and 1,257,093 in 2024. He revealed that the Ministry wants to increase this to 1,214,000 in the 2026/2027 financial year, 1,359,500 in 2027/2028, 1,523,000 in 2028/2029 and 1,800,000 in 2029/2030. Haihambo acknowledged a decline in international tourist arrivals, saying the Ministry plans to respond by diversifying the country’s tourism offerings and source markets. Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: Namakwa Toere/Namaqua Tours The post Tourism sector targets N$18.5 billion GDP contribution by 2030 appeared first on Informanté.

Chief Executive Officers of Public Enterprises engage President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah under the theme: “Accelerating National Development: The Role of Public Enterprises in Delivering NDP6 and Driving Economic Growth."

Patience Makwele Asoli Progressive Party (APP) president Joseph Kauandenge has challenged President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to move beyond mining promises and take decisive action to ensure ordinary Namibians benefit directly from the country’s mineral wealth. Kauandenge said while the party welcomed the President’s remarks that mining would be a key driver of government’s job creation ambitions under NDP6, the focus should now shift from announcements to tangible economic gains. “Bold speeches have no relevance to an empty stomach at all, as that becomes simply noise to their ears,” Kauandenge said. He argued that with more than 54% of adult Namibians earning N$2 000 or less per month, government must adopt a targeted approach to increase Namibian ownership in the mining sector. Kauandenge called for government to ensure that more than 50% of mining shares remain in the hands of Namibians, saying the country must move from being a consumer economy to a producing nation that creates jobs and improves livelihoods.

Staff Reporter Prime Minister Dr Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare has commended AgriBank for allocating N$20 million to youth in the agriculture sector. Speaking during a visit to AgriBank on Wednesday afternoon, the Prime Minister welcomed the initiative following a briefing by the bank on the implementation of its youth agriculture financing programme. Dr Ngurare said the investment aligns with key pillars of the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), which prioritises food security, youth empowerment and sustainable economic growth. He noted that empowering young people through agriculture will not only strengthen national food production but also create employment opportunities and contribute to long-term economic development. The Prime Minister further applauded AgriBank for the swift implementation of the Youth Development Fund, describing it as a practical demonstration of the Government’s commitment to creating opportunities for young Namibians. During the briefing, AgriBank informed the Prime Minister that it has so far disbursed N$23 million under the Youth Development Fund, with the majority of beneficiaries engaged in poultry farming. Photos: Contributed The post Prime Minister commends AgriBank for allocating N$20 million to youth in agriculture appeared first on Informanté.

Namibia’s NDP6 mirrors AU vision for social justice: Nangombe  neweralive.na