Namibia Minute.
Friday, 24 April 2026
A daily Namibian brief · Est. 2026
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Organization

Ministry of Finance

Also known as: Ministries of Finance · MoF

Government ministry responsible for budget allocations, tax policy, and financial management, including N$104 billion 2026/27 budget and pension increases.

Politics

Namibia's Parliament maturing but facing oversight challenges

The News

Since independence in 1990, Namibia's Parliament has evolved into a democratically elected body and now has its first female speaker, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, elected in March 2025. However, political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah notes that despite its progressive constitutional framework, Parliament has struggled with weak oversight of the executive due to single-party dominance and the executive being drawn directly from Parliament, resulting in limited depth in legislative debate.

20 March 2026 · New Era →

Friday 20 March

  1. Namibia's Parliament maturing but facing oversight challenges

    Since independence in 1990, Namibia's Parliament has evolved into a democratically elected body and now has its first female speaker, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, elected in March 2025. However, political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah notes that despite its progressive constitutional framework, Parliament has struggled with weak oversight of the executive due to single-party dominance and the executive being drawn directly from Parliament, resulting in limited depth in legislative debate.

    20 March 2026 · New Era →

Thursday 19 March

  1. Namibia's fiscal pressures to persist amid elevated funding costs

    CAM chief economist Floris Bergh warns that Namibia's fiscal trajectory has deteriorated and creditworthiness is unlikely to improve, with funding pressure expected to remain high as state-owned enterprises seek capital market borrowing. The 2026 deficit is forecast at 5.8% of GDP (N$16.6 billion), well above the healthy 3% threshold, with interest costs consuming 18% of government revenue.

    19 March 2026 · New Era →

Monday 16 March

  1. LPM proposes labour export to address Namibia's unemployment crisis

    Landless People's Movement leader Bernardus Swartbooi has called on the government to consider exporting labour to address Namibia's 36.9% unemployment rate, citing examples from Kenya, Uganda and Ghana that place workers in Gulf Cooperation Council states. He criticised the government's emphasis on education without corresponding job creation and argued that investment in productive sectors like agriculture and energy should be prioritised over social spending.

    16 March 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 11 March

  1. Economists warn debt pressure will persist despite near-term gains

    While Namibia's debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to dip slightly from 67.3% to 66.1%, economists warn the improvement may be temporary as slower-than-projected economic growth could push the ratio above 70%. Rising interest payments—forecast to reach N$16.2 billion in 2026/27—are increasingly straining public finances and limiting resources for development and social programmes.

    11 March 2026 · New Era →

Tuesday 10 March

  1. Prime Minister inaugurates PSEMAS governance committee for healthcare reform

    Prime Minister Dr Elijah Ngurare has inaugurated a new governance committee for the Public Service Medical Aid Scheme (PSEMAS) to oversee implementation of reforms, including mandatory use of public hospitals by civil servants and alignment with the government's Universal Health Coverage objectives. The committee, drawn from government agencies, trade unions, and regulators, replaces the previous model to improve oversight, accountability, and healthcare sustainability.

    10 March 2026 · Informanté →

Sunday 8 March

  1. Roads Authority spent N$162,000 on iPads for six-month temporary board

    The Roads Authority purchased seven iPad Pro 11 devices for its acting board members appointed for a six-month term, prompting complaints from within the agency that the expenditure was unnecessary for temporary appointees. The minister and RA officials defended the purchase as a standard procurement of tools of trade for official business, noting the devices remain the authority's property.

    8 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 3 March

  1. Namibia to adjust income tax brackets in second quarter 2026

    The Ministry of Finance will adjust income tax brackets in the second quarter of 2026, according to finance minister Ericah Shafudah. The adjustment aims to reduce fiscal drag and improve fairness by updating personal income tax rates and thresholds.

    3 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 2 March

  1. Namibia launches instant payment system for government benefits

    Finance Minister Ericah Shafudah announced that Namibia's Instant Payment Solution (IPS), a collaborative effort by the Ministry of Finance, Bank of Namibia, and payment service providers, will launch in the third quarter of 2025. The system will enable government to pay social grants and other benefits directly into beneficiaries' bank accounts or e-wallets within seconds, replacing cash payouts through NamPost and reducing travel costs and long queues, especially for elderly and rural citizens.

    2 March 2026 · New Era →

Sunday 1 March

  1. 2026/27 budget allocations announced across major ministries

    Namibia's government has allocated key budgets for the 2026/27 financial year, with education receiving N$28.7 billion, health N$13.1 billion, and safety and security N$8.1 billion, while smaller allocations include N$181 million for the Electoral Commission and N$109 million for the Anti-Corruption Commission.

    1 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 28 February

  1. Pensioners to receive N$100 monthly increase from April 2026

    Minister of Finance Ericah Shafudah announced that pensioners will receive an additional N$100 from 1 April 2026, with N$447 million allocated to accommodate the increase. The announcement was made during the presentation of the Budget Statement for the 2026/27 financial year in Parliament.

    28 February 2026 · Informanté →

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