Namibia Minute.
24 April 2026
A daily Namibian brief · Est. 2026
Windhoek—:—London—:—New York—:—Beijing—:—
Place

Namibia

Also known as: Namibian market · Namibian states · our country · nation · Namibian · South West Africa · Namibian Capricorn Eagles · the nation · Namibia the Land of the Brave · Nam · Namibia national cricket team · Namibia national futsal men's team · Namibians

Society

Japan, UN fund health projects targeting emergency preparedness

The News

Japan, the UN, and global partners have launched major investments to strengthen Namibia's health system, including three key projects focused on emergency preparedness, disease prevention, and diagnostic capacity. The initiatives, valued at approximately N$18.4 million, will benefit more than 118,000 people across eight hospitals and vulnerable regions including Kunene, Omusati, and Otjozondjupa.

22 April 2026 · New Era

Wednesday 22 April

  1. Japan, UN fund health projects targeting emergency preparedness

    Japan, the UN, and global partners have launched major investments to strengthen Namibia's health system, including three key projects focused on emergency preparedness, disease prevention, and diagnostic capacity. The initiatives, valued at approximately N$18.4 million, will benefit more than 118,000 people across eight hospitals and vulnerable regions including Kunene, Omusati, and Otjozondjupa.

    22 April 2026 · New Era

  2. SWAPO leader says armed struggle was only option available

    SWAPO Party's Ohangwena regional coordinator Fillemon Joshua said the Namibian people chose armed liberation struggle in the 1960s as a last resort after South Africa refused to grant independence and intensified repression of unarmed Namibians. Joshua spoke at a foundation-laying ceremony in Okongo on Monday, a day after SWAPO's 66th anniversary, describing the 23-year armed conflict that ended with independence in March 1990.

    22 April 2026 · Informanté

Tuesday 21 April

  1. Employers urged to claim training grants by May 5 deadline

    The Namibia Training Authority CEO urges employers to submit Employer Training Grant applications by midnight on 5 May, noting that more than N$306 million is available for the 2025/26 financial year for businesses that invested in employee training between 1 April 2025 and 31 March. The grant reimburses up to 50% of VET levy contributions for qualifying training, covering accredited programmes and in-house interventions.

    21 April 2026 · The Namibian

  2. Bank Windhoek launches WhatsApp banking service

    Bank Windhoek has launched a WhatsApp banking service that allows customers to conduct transactions and access services through the messaging platform. The move reflects the bank's commitment to innovation and meeting customers where they communicate, building on its introduction of cellphone banking in 2006.

    21 April 2026 · The Namibian

  3. Namibia and China pledge cooperation on energy, mining, agriculture

    Following high-level talks between Namibian Foreign Minister Selma Ashipala-Musavyi and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in April 2026, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation across energy, oil and gas, mining, agriculture, science and technology, education, tourism, infrastructure, and human resource development. Namibia emphasised the importance of adding value to natural resources including critical minerals through local processing, while both sides committed to enhancing cultural and youth exchanges.

    21 April 2026 · Informanté

  4. Namibia and Zambia negotiate Zambezi River dredging project

    Namibia and Zambia are negotiating a joint dredging project for the Zambezi River to deepen waterways and mitigate severe seasonal flooding. Over 1,510 people have been displaced in the Zambezi region, with the government preparing a dredging machine procured in 2015 to begin operations pending agreement renewal with Zambia.

    21 April 2026 · The Namibian

  5. Swapo marks 66 years; leaders warn history cannot secure future

    On Swapo's 66th anniversary, party leader Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah stated that while the party's liberation struggle history is important, it alone cannot carry the party forward as people now expect tangible improvements in jobs, housing, healthcare, and education. Political analysts noted Swapo's waning electoral support over recent elections due to corruption and declining leadership quality, though the party remains the country's strongest with functional regional structures.

    21 April 2026 · New Era

  6. Condom shortage reported across Namibian public health facilities

    Members of the public report condoms are out of stock at public hospitals and clinics across Namibia, raising concerns about potential increases in HIV infections, STDs, and teenage pregnancies. The health ministry acknowledged the shortage's importance but stated that HIV prevention relies on multiple interventions beyond condoms, and reassured the public that efforts are underway to stabilise supply chains.

    21 April 2026 · New Era

  7. Algeria pledges to fund medical polyclinic in Namibia

    Algeria has committed to fully fund the construction of a medical polyclinic in Namibia, as confirmed during a State House meeting between President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Algeria's Ambassador Abdelkrim Diaf. The initiative strengthens bilateral ties and follows past health cooperation agreements dating to 2008.

    21 April 2026 · Informanté

Monday 20 April

  1. Telecom Namibia CEO apologizes for April network outages

    Telecom Namibia CEO Dr Stanley Shanapinda apologized for extended fixed and mobile internet service outages on 15–16 April 2026, caused by failure of two high-capacity international links to South Africa. He attributed the extended recovery time to structural vulnerabilities where legacy and modern network systems intersect, and announced plans to accelerate modernization programmes and upgrade border routing infrastructure.

    20 April 2026 · Informanté

Namibia Minute