Central Procurement Board of Namibia — government procurement regulator that facilitates public tenders and awards contracts, recently implementing CSR requirements and ethics certification.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
July 2026
The Namibian
Central Procurement Board of Namibiais investigating alleged corruption involvingschool food tender, pharmaceutical and railway deals
Source
“The Namibian understands Shiponeni's suspension is linked to an alleged corruption scheme involving a school food tender, and pharmaceutical and railway deals.”
Central Procurement Board of Namibiapartnered withFirst National Bank (FNB) Namibia to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability in public procurement
Source
“First National Bank (FNB) Namibia and the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) have partnered up to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability in the country's public procurement system.”
Central Procurement Board of Namibiawill conductprocurement and remanufacturing of locomotives per Public Procurement Act
Source
“She said the procurement and remanufacturing of locomotives will be conducted through the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) in line with the Public Procurement Act.”
Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN)oversawthe procurement process for the N$40 million security tender
Source
“The tender, valued at N$40 million, was awarded in October 2025 following a procurement process overseen by the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN).”
Central Procurement Board of Namibiadeclined to commenton the matter as it is sub judice
Source
“Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) spokesperson Johanna Kambala yesterday said: "Please note that this matter is sub judice and thus CPBN is not in a position to comment further."”
Central Procurement Board of Namibiahas introducedstrengthened procedures for Bid Evaluation Committee member appointments
Source
“THE Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) has introduced strengthened procedures governing the appointment of Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC) members, as part of ongoing efforts to improve service delivery and strengthen transparency and accountability in public procurement.”
Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN)resolved to cancelthe restricted bidding process for six-month food procurement
Source
“In a letter dated 16 April, the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) informs all bidders that it has resolved to cancel the restricted bidding process for the six-month procurement of food on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture.”
Central Procurement Board of Namibiahas introducedrevised procedures for appointing bid evaluation committee members
Source
“The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) has introduced revised procedures for appointing bid evaluation committee (BEC) members, aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in public procurement.”
The Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by the Central Procurement Board and Ministry of Education, upholding a High Court decision that set aside a multimillion-dollar tender for supplying food to government school hostels. The court found the procurement process unlawful because the board continued proceedings after the 180-day bid validity period had expired.
The Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by the Central Procurement Board and Ministry of Education, upholding a High Court decision that set aside a multimillion-dollar tender for supplying food to government school hostels. The court found the procurement process unlawful because the board continued proceedings after the 180-day bid validity period had expired.
The Supreme Court upheld a High Court judgment canceling a multimillion-dollar school hostel food supply tender for government schools across Namibia's 14 regions after the Central Procurement Board and Ministry of Education appealed the decision. The tender was found to have irregularities, including the exclusion of a bidder for failing to provide an English translation of an Afrikaans-language supporting document.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah directed the education ministry to use alternative procurement for a N$540-million school hostel food tender, with the Namibia Training Authority as lead service provider and other public entities, sparking court action from companies questioning the non-public tendering process.
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia has implemented Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) criteria in its procurement bidding process, requiring bidders to submit CSR proposals equivalent to not less than 0.1% of the contract amount. The first implementation saw West Trading JV Unik Construction Engineering Namibia donate blankets, school uniforms, and sanitary pads valued at N$64,886.51 to the Bethanie community.
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia has implemented a policy requiring bidders to include corporate social responsibility proposals worth at least 0.1% of contract value. The first community investment under this scheme saw West Trading JV Unik Construction Engineering donate blankets, school uniforms, and sanitary pads valued at N$64,886 to Bethanie residents and pupils, and the associated railway project has created 20 local jobs.
West Trading JV Unik Construction Engineering Namibia has handed over blankets, school uniforms, and sanitary pads valued at N$64,886.51 to vulnerable members of the Bethanie community as part of a new Central Procurement Board requirement that bidders on applicable contracts commit at least 0.1% of contract value to community empowerment and poverty alleviation initiatives.
Namibia's revised public procurement regulations, which came into operation on 4 August 2026, give over 80 public entities greater scope to undertake procurement independently, aiming to reduce administrative delays and improve service delivery. The success of the reform will depend on implementation rather than the regulations themselves, balancing efficiency with transparency and accountability.
More than 80 public entities gain broader procurement authority under Namibia's revised regulations effective August 4, 2026, aimed at reducing administrative delays, decongesting central procurement, and expanding supplier opportunities. The changes raise procurement thresholds to reflect current economic conditions including inflation and currency depreciation.
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia has signed a N$268.7 million contract with Art Construction CC to transform Muzii Combined School in the Zambezi Region through embankment elevation and ground raising, aimed at protecting the school from recurring floods and improving learning conditions.
The Central Procurement Board says it will cost N$268.7 million to elevate the grounds of the flood-affected Muzii Combined School in the Zambezi region over three years. The contract was awarded to Art Construction CC and will include elevated platforms, embankment protection, hostel blocks, and other school infrastructure to improve resilience and safety.
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia has become the first organisation in Namibia to receive the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) Corporate Ethics Mark, awarded in Johannesburg on 5 August 2026. The certification recognises the CPBN's commitment to ethical governance, transparency and accountability in procurement after implementing ethics training and the CIPS Corporate Code of Ethics.
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia received 422 applications for its bid evaluation committee, with women making up 235 (56%) and men 187 (44%) of applicants. A CPBN manager attributed the strong response to growing public confidence in Namibia's public procurement system following reforms introduced earlier this year.
Private caterer Pamo Trading Enterprises is challenging a N$540-million hostel food tender awarded to the Namibia Training Authority for supplying food to 239 government school hostels accommodating 77,281 pupils nationwide. The company filed an application at the Windhoek High Court on 20 July seeking to have the award set aside and any procurement contracts declared null and void.
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia received 422 applications from qualified individuals across the country in response to its call for Bid Evaluation Committee members, with 235 (56%) submitted by women and 187 (44%) by men. The board attributes the strong response to recent reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and integrity in public procurement processes.
The government is rolling out a N$1.5-billion fencing project in the ||Kharas region to protect Namibia's foot-and-mouth disease-free status as outbreaks spread in South Africa and Botswana. The veterinary fencing aims to strengthen FMD defences, create buffer zones, and protect beef exports to markets like the European Union and China.
The Ministry of Agriculture is preparing to construct a veterinary cordon fence along the Namibia–South Africa border to safeguard the livestock sector and prevent the spread of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, with contractors invited to bid by 14 July 2026. The fence is intended to control livestock movement across the border and reduce the risk of transboundary animal diseases that could have serious economic implications for Namibia's livestock industry.
The High Court has rejected an application by Pamo Trading Enterprises to revive a government school feeding tender that was cancelled by the Central Procurement Board of Namibia. Deputy Judge President Theo Prinsloo ruled that the procurement process had legally collapsed once the bid validity period expired and could not be resurrected through court intervention.
Elizabeth Shiponeni, acting executive for governance at the Central Procurement Board of Namibia, has been suspended for a third time—now until 31 July—over alleged corruption involving school food, pharmaceutical, and railway deals. Her suspension began in October 2025 and has been repeatedly extended; sources claim she was found not guilty during disciplinary proceedings but the suspension continued.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services' procurement committee has blocked senior officials' proposal to bypass public tender procedures for a N$1-billion medicine purchase, citing concerns that emergency procurement could be abused. The tender was meant to address medicine shortages at public hospitals and clinics.
First National Bank Namibia and the Central Procurement Board of Namibia have partnered to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability in public procurement. The institutions discussed performance guarantees and explored ways to reduce delays in project implementation.
A year after cancellation over single-sourcing concerns, TransNamib will restart the process to buy 23 new locomotives for N$1.7 billion following an independent technical evaluation of manufacturers. The procurement will proceed through the Central Procurement Board of Namibia using secured development finance.
PIS Security Services has filed a review application at the High Court challenging a N$40 million three-year security contract awarded to Novo Security Services CC in October 2025, alleging that eight active Namibian police officers were falsely presented as employees and managers of Novo in its bid.
Sara Katiti's Afripharm Investments is seeking to stop government contract negotiations on a N$1.3 billion tender for mental health, cancer, and chronic-disease medicines to state hospitals, arguing the tender expired in March 2025. The procurement has been mired in court disputes since April 2023, including a challenge over a N$1.3 billion award to a company owned by a five-year-old child.
The Ministry of Finance has rejected the Social Security Commission's request for a procurement exemption to fast-track a N$43.8-million fund management system project. Finance minister Ericah Shafudah said the SSC did not sufficiently justify why the entire Public Procurement Act should be set aside, and noted that the law already provides procurement options such as restricted bidding for specialized services.
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia has introduced strengthened procedures for appointing Bid Evaluation Committee members, requiring applicants to possess accredited qualifications, valid certificates of conduct, compulsory training, and competency assessment. The enhanced process aims to promote integrity, transparency, and efficiency in public procurement.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has requested cancellation of a N$194-million tender to build new central medical stores in Windhoek, citing that the expected outcome did not justify costs. The cancellation follows allegations of political interference and concerns raised by the Global Fund over the redirection of its N$194-million donation originally earmarked for the project.