Also known as: Ministry of Environment and Tourism
Government department overseeing wildlife, national parks, environmental clearances, and tourism access regulation in Namibia.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
The Namibian
Environment ministry issued compliance order to stop waste dumping at landfill site
“The ministry said it also issued a compliance order to stop waste dumping at the site and is now engaging relevant stakeholders.”
Ministry moves to de-proclaim landfill areaThe Namibian
Ministry of Environment and Tourism is urged to adopt collaborative approach to regulating gaming, entertainment and lotteries
“Oshikoto governor Sacky Kathindi urges the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to adopt a collaborative approach to regulating gaming, entertainment and lotteries.”
Oshikoto governor urges gaming, lottery regulationThe Namibian
Environment ministry put down an elephant that attacked a teacher at Chefuzwe
“The environment ministry has put down an elephant that attacked a teacher at Chefuzwe on the outskirts of Katima Mulilo on Tuesday.”
Elephant put down after attacking Zambezi teacherThe Namibian
Ministry of Environment and Tourism reported that since 2018 at least 570 pangolins have been poached from the wild
“Since 2018, at least 570 pangolins have been poached from the wild, according to the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.”
World Pangolin Day 2025: Illegal trade and poaching threaten Namibia’s unique scaly mammalsThe Namibian
Environment ministry says drought is increasingly threatening Namibia's economic growth, social stability and development gains
“Namibia is losing billions of dollars each year to drought, a crisis that the Ministry of Environment and Tourism says is increasingly threatening the country's economic growth, social stability and development gains.”
Drought costing Namibia billions annuallyThe Namibian
Environment ministry faces N$165 million funding shortfall for conservation operations
“The Ministry of Environment and Tourism is facing a funding shortfall of approximately N$165 million, raising concerns about the sustainability of conservation.”
Environment ministry faces N$165m funding gap for anti-poaching, park infrastructureThe Namibian
Environment ministry proposed 15% increase in tourism concession fees and biodiversity offset mechanisms
“To improve financial sustainability, the committee noted that the environment ministry has proposed a 15% increase in tourism concession fees, the introduction of biodiversity offset mechanisms and the strengthening of private sector partnerships to mobilise conservation financing.”
Environment ministry faces N$165m funding gap for anti-poaching, park infrastructureThe Namibian
Environment ministry has noted unprecedented scale of illegal sand mining in the country
“The ministry has noted with concern the unprecedented scale of illegal sand mining in the country.”
Revised act casts wider conservation netThe Namibian
Ministry of Environment and Tourism received environmental and social impact assessment and management plan documents on 12 January
“The documents were lodged on 12 January with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy as part of an application for an environmental clearance certificate.”
TotalEnergies hold talks with Nandi-NdaitwahThe Namibian
Ministry of Environment and Tourism linked baboon attacks to poor waste management
“The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has linked the baboon attack on Windhoek's Goreangab residents to poor waste management, urging residents to dispose of waste properly.”
Poor waste management blamed for return of Goreangab baboonsThe government has scaled down its plans to build an Ondangwa referral hospital, with Oshana governor Hofni Iipinge announcing the project will instead become a 700-bed district hospital. The feasibility study and environmental assessments have been completed, with the AfDB providing financing in collaboration with the ministries of finance and health and social services.
23 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The government has scaled down its plans to build an Ondangwa referral hospital, with Oshana governor Hofni Iipinge announcing the project will instead become a 700-bed district hospital. The feasibility study and environmental assessments have been completed, with the AfDB providing financing in collaboration with the ministries of finance and health and social services.
23 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Esegeel Kondombolo, a Windhoek resident, spent 22 years addicted to gambling, which cost him two jobs and damaged his family relationships before he received help from social workers at the Ministry of Health and Social Services. He now warns that gambling results in losses and can destroy trust within families.
20 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The Directorate of Veterinary Services has lifted restrictions on the movement of cloven-hoofed animals in parts of Ohangwena and Kavango West regions after a buffalo spotted in June tested negative for foot and mouth disease and was euthanised.
13 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia will not accede to the United Nations High Seas Treaty until it has the capacity to implement its provisions and fully benefit from marine biodiversity protections beyond national jurisdiction. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform says the country recognises the importance of ocean sustainability but wants to ensure it can meet treaty obligations before joining.
10 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian Competition Commission has granted Ultimate Safaris a 90-day extension to respond to an investigation into an allegedly illegal agreement with three conservancies. The extension was granted under the Competition Act of 2003, though critics claim the NaCC is treating the company with "kid gloves" given the time it has been allowed to avoid complying with the commission's directive to scrap the exclusive agreements.
8 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Brown hyenas in Tsau //Khaeb National Park have remained stable since 1997 with an estimated 200 to 300 individuals in the park, benefiting from successful breeding and low human disturbance. The Brown Hyena Research Project, supported by Namdeb and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, studies the species' movements and warns that fences and busy roads could disrupt their long-distance coastal travels and threaten the population.
5 June 2026 · The Namibian →
A desert locust outbreak has been detected in parts of Erongo and Hardap, with swarms destroying grazing and vegetation across at least 15 farms covering 300–400 square kilometres. The Ministry of Agriculture says the locusts are in the flying stage, making control difficult, and has deployed vehicle-mounted sprayers to contain the outbreak.
26 May 2026 · The Namibian →
The Mutjimagumwe Woodwork Cooperative's school furniture repair project in Kavango West is running short of materials and funds. The chairperson says the council's initial 180 pieces of timber have been used up, and the N$500 000 payment is nearly exhausted, while the scope has expanded from 4 000 chairs to 4 975 chairs and desks.
21 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Sand mining at Onatshiku has uprooted palm trees and created a dangerous pit that poses risks to people and livestock. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism advised the Uukwambi Traditional Authority not to renew their environmental clearance certificate due to massive environmental damage, and rehabilitation has not yet begun despite promises last year.
21 May 2026 · The Namibian →
A poaching suspect in custody in Omusati Region has been charged with perjury after admitting he lied when alleging he had been tortured by NDF, NamPol, and Environment Ministry officials on 28 April. The charges against the officials are likely to be dropped following the retraction.
15 May 2026 · Informanté →
The Cabinet has approved a new Green Industries Council, replacing the Green Hydrogen Council after it ended in February 2025. The council will oversee Namibia's broader green industrialisation agenda, focusing on policy coordination, institutional alignment and investment priorities to accelerate industrialisation, economic diversification and job creation.
11 May 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian Competition Commission faces criticism for investigating conservancy tourism partnerships, with the Chamber of Environment calling instead for a probe into Namibia Wildlife Resorts' alleged anti-competitive dominance in national parks. The dispute raises questions about whether competition law is being applied in a way that could undermine the communal conservancy tourism model that supports rural livelihoods and conservation.
7 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has insisted that access to Sossusvlei and Deadvlei remain unrestricted, rejecting a new directive from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism that limits the final 4.5 km stretch to registered tour guides, self-driving 4×4 vehicles, and a concessionaire shuttle service while prohibiting buses and trucks. Since the start of the year, tour operators and the public have accused the ministry of creating a monopoly through exclusive concession arrangements that were initially presented as non-exclusive.
5 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Members of an anti-poaching unit at Etosha National Park have been accused of assaulting and burning a 35-year-old man during questioning in April following a poaching incident. The officials involved are from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibian Defence Force, and Namibian Police, and investigations are ongoing.
30 April 2026 · The Namibian →
A 62-year-old pensioner in Katima Mulilo faces court after allegedly hunting a specially protected elephant without a permit. He reported firing warning shots when four elephants entered his crop field, then fired toward them; one elephant was struck and found dead the following morning, valued at N$295,000.
27 April 2026 · The Namibian →
A woman was killed by an elephant in Kavango East on 28 March; the elephant was later shot and found dead but decomposed before the family could access its meat. The family is now requesting the Environment Ministry provide them meat from another elephant, as the killed elephant's carcass could not be recovered in time for the funeral.
23 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian Competition Commission has initiated an investigation against tourism company Ultimate Safaris and three Kunene region conservancies for alleged anti-competition conduct, after the respondents defied a December 2024 cautionary notice to cease the conduct. The case stems from a complaint by a mining claimant seeking to reopen Goantagab Mine within a joint management area that the respondents oppose, citing potential harm to black rhino tourism.
21 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has announced that driving between Sossusvlei's parking areas will be limited to a single operator (About Africa Co) from 1 May, restricting access for independent tour operators and self-drivers. Tour operators and industry figures warn the exclusive concession will harm competition, raise prices, create liability concerns, and damage the tourism sector despite ministry claims it will generate revenue and protect the environment.
17 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has announced that self-driving tourists will no longer be permitted to access Deadvlei at Sossusvlei; instead, all visitors must use authorised shuttle services provided by About Adelt Sossusvlei Management or lodge-based tour guides, effective 1 May.
15 April 2026 · The Namibian →
A herd of elephants has destroyed crops in several villages in Okahao and Tsandi constituencies of Omusati region since last month, with animals feeding on mahangu, maize, melons and damaging property at night. The Environment Ministry says it has requested authorisation to cull one elephant to scare others away and is preparing a helicopter to drive the elephants from affected areas.
14 April 2026 · The Namibian →
NamWater is pursuing environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to build water infrastructure, including a large-scale off-channel storage dam, to supply Koryx Copper's proposed Haib copper mining project in the ||Kharas region with around 20 million cubic metres of water annually from the Orange River. The project is expected to create up to 3,500 jobs during construction and around 1,350 during operations.
11 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism will remove part of the Walvis Bay landfill from Dorob National Park to allow the municipality full management authority and ability to enforce bylaws. The ministry has issued a compliance order against illegal tyre burning at the site, which residents report creates toxic smoke affecting the town, and has flagged health risks from living near the landfill.
10 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Oshikoto governor Sacky Kathindi has urged the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to regulate gaming, entertainment and lotteries through a collaborative approach that promotes economic growth and job creation while protecting communities from addiction and exploitation. The proposed amendments to the Gaming and Entertainment Control Act aim to modernise regulations, strengthen compliance, curb illegal operators and promote responsible gambling.
10 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Communities, government leaders and development partners gathered in Kavango East on 23 March to commemorate International Day of Forests, emphasizing sustainable forest management and highlighting how forest resources support livelihoods through activities like woodcraft production. The event, hosted under the Dryland Sustainable Landscapes Impact Programme, featured a tree-planting ceremony, an indigenous walk to observe tree species, and an information-sharing session on the ecological, cultural and economic importance of indigenous trees.
10 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Marine expert Rod Braby has urged Namibia to finalize its Blue Economy Policy, complete marine spatial planning, and accede to the High Seas Treaty ahead of the 2026 Our Ocean Conference in Kenya. Braby noted that Namibia currently has only 1.6% of its exclusive economic zone under marine protected area management, though the government has committed to increasing this to 11% within two years.
9 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia is considering importing honeybees from South Africa to improve pollination for blueberry farms in Kavango East, but beekeepers, environmentalists, and government officials warn the imports could introduce diseases, weaken native bee populations, and threaten food security. The Beekeeping Association of Namibia and Ministry of Environment and Tourism both oppose the plan, citing risks of genetic dilution and resource competition, and recommend instead investing in local beekeeping capacity.
31 March 2026 · The Namibian →
An elephant that attacked teacher Florence Mutete near Katima Mulilo on Tuesday was put down by the environment ministry after it continued charging at officials and residents despite attempts to chase it away. Mutete sustained minor hip injuries, and ministry officials warn residents to remain alert as high rainfall has increased wildlife movement into residential areas.
25 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Residents and health professionals in Walvis Bay are demanding government intervention over toxic smoke from illegal tyre burning on state land, with a local doctor reporting increased cases of smoke inhalation and concerns about cancer risk, particularly affecting neighbourhoods like Kuisebmand and Narraville at night. The municipality says its hands are tied because the land is government property, and has appealed to the environment ministry for action.
19 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Residents of Swakopmund have raised concerns over construction work at the Platz am Meer development on the beach, alleging that building waste and rubble are being pushed into the sea and the natural beach profile altered. The central dispute is whether coastal construction works requiring environmental clearance from the environment commissioner are proceeding without the required prior approval, with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism yet to confirm whether an environmental clearance certificate has been issued for shoreline works.
17 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Klaudia Amunyela was trampled to death by an elephant in Omusati's Tsandi constituency after approaching what she believed was a dead animal to take photographs. Her widower, left to care for three young children, is calling on the government for funeral assistance and citing chronic livestock losses to wildlife in the area; the ministry says it is launching awareness campaigns and intensifying patrols to address human-wildlife conflict.
10 March 2026 · The Namibian →