National Housing Enterprise (NHE)has prioritized and rolled outthe National Informal Settlement Upgrading Programme to major urban centres
Source
“Gisbertus Mukulu, NHE Chief Executive Officer told New Era this week that the NHE has prioritise the programme and has already rolled it out to a few major urban centres.”
National Housing Enterpriseis supportingbeneficiaries constructing houses in Extension 31
Source
“"Residents earning more than N$6 000 per month were offered erven for sale at subsidised prices in Extension 31… these beneficiaries are currently constructing houses through the National Housing Enterprise," Benjamin said.”
National Housing Enterprisecontributed toMass Housing Development Programme momentum for 58-house handover
Source
“The Mass Housing Development Programme regained momentum through the efforts of the City of Windhoek, the National Housing Enterprise and the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development.”
National Housing Enterpriseis mentioned as an institution that could partner withthe city in developing and servicing land
Source
“Finally, the fact that the city council continues to sell land to the highest bidder, rather than developing and servicing it in partnership with institutions like the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) reflects a troubling pattern of inequality.”
The Labour Court found that the National Housing Enterprise's 2021 dismissal of former executive Willem Titus was unfair and ordered the company to reinstate him within 30 days and pay backpay from December 2021 to reinstatement, less any income earned in alternative employment. The court upheld findings that Titus committed misconduct but determined dismissal was disproportionately harsh a penalty.
The Labour Court found that the National Housing Enterprise's 2021 dismissal of former executive Willem Titus was unfair and ordered the company to reinstate him within 30 days and pay backpay from December 2021 to reinstatement, less any income earned in alternative employment. The court upheld findings that Titus committed misconduct but determined dismissal was disproportionately harsh a penalty.
The High Court has ordered the National Housing Enterprise to reinstate former sales and lending executive Willem George Titus and pay him N$3.7 million, finding his 2021 dismissal was substantive.
Less than 10% of the working population hold home loans; 70% of the population cannot afford formal housing due to low incomes and limited mortgage access, according to central bank data. Average house prices have risen from N$200,000 in 2000 to between N$1.3 million and N$1.4 million today, while the average working Namibian earns N$5,000 or less per month.
The National Housing Enterprise plans to construct 905 houses across Namibia during the 2025/2026 financial year as part of efforts to reduce the country's housing backlog. Since its establishment in 1993, NHE has constructed more than 21 545 housing units nationwide.
Mobile Telecommunications Limited and National Housing Enterprise have signed a memorandum of understanding to expand telecommunications infrastructure in NHE housing developments across Namibia. The partnership will include co-trenching opportunities for fibre installation and other telecommunications services, aiming to reduce costs and accelerate internet access for residents.
At the 52nd Universal Periodic Review in Geneva, Namibia outlined its national development drive centred on service delivery, economic resilience and governance reforms. The country emphasised the National Development Plan Six, which focuses on economic recovery, human development, green growth and effective governance, with poverty eradication and expanded social protection systems as key priorities.
The Walvis Bay municipal council has approved a plan to relocate residents illegally occupying land at Kuisebmond and other areas to a temporary site at farm 37, as part of measures to address illegal land occupation and enforce land management. The relocation will include selected backyard dwellers and 50 households from Narraville, with residents required to sign permission to occupy certificates that will regulate their temporary stay.
Rapid population growth and proliferation of informal backyard housing in Walvis Bay have driven electricity consumption to record levels, with the suburb of Kuisebmond alone consuming 54% of Swakopmund's total power use. The municipality faces increasing pressure to provide affordable housing and land, with approximately 23 000 backyard shacks housing 42 000 people and thousands more on waiting lists.
The Landless People's Movement boycotted President Nandi-Ndaitwah's State of the Nation Address, calling it political theatre that masks poor governance; the presidency responded that dialogue is essential in a democracy and that such absences represent a missed opportunity to raise concerns.
The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development has been allocated N$2 billion for 2026/2027, with an additional N$1.5 billion from the National Housing Enterprise to accelerate housing construction and address Namibia's housing backlog. The ministry has prioritised informal settlement formalisation and rural development, though infrastructure constraints—particularly ageing sewer systems requiring an estimated N$2.5 billion in upgrades—threaten to slow progress.
Finance Minister Ericah Shafudah defended the N$104 billion 2026/27 budget, stating it balances fiscal consolidation with economic support without introducing broad-based tax increases. She addressed parliamentary concerns about taxation, public debt levels, and sectoral allocations, emphasizing that development spending extends beyond the official figures and that agricultural financing should be viewed holistically including through Agribank.
As Namibia marked 36 years of independence, Bukalo Village Council reported progress in housing, water supply, road infrastructure, and local economic growth, with the village's population growing from 800 in 2011 to nearly 2,000 in 2023. Village Council CEO Anna Sazita attributed the developments to partnerships with the National Housing Enterprise and support from the Road Fund Administration, noting improvements in sewer systems and water pressure alongside new projects including a sports stadium and open market.
A land and spatial sciences professional warns that Namibia's new presidential task force on land and housing risks repeating the mistakes of the failed Mass Housing Development Programme unless it addresses past failures—including poor accountability, weak project management, cost overruns, unaffordable units, inadequate local authority support, and lack of transparency.
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has urged financial institutions to protect homeowners from repossession even after decades of payments, calling for a national dialogue to find fair solutions that prioritise "humanity over profit". He also questioned why housing loans span decades compared to vehicle loans and highlighted Namibia's severe housing crisis, with a backlog of over 300,000 houses.
An IPC parliamentarian criticized the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development's reduced N$1.9-billion budget, arguing it will fail to address Namibia's housing shortage. He noted the ministry received N$2.7 billion the previous year but built only 194 housing units in Windhoek and Opuwo combined, while an estimated 12,000 shacks are erected annually.
Minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa has directed local authorities to stop allocating government-serviced land to private developers, arguing that public land should support affordable housing for low-income citizens rather than commercial developments targeting those who can afford houses of N$1.5–2 million. The minister said private developers should service their own land and charge market rates, while formalising informal settlements through certificates of ownership would enable residents to access bank loans.
The finance ministry plans to reduce subsidies and capital transfers to state-owned enterprises from N$1.3 billion in 2025/26 to N$615.7 million in 2026/27, citing fiscal consolidation and high public debt. Several SOEs including TransNamib and the Agricultural Bank of Namibia will receive no government transfers, while priority support goes to the National Housing Enterprise and Road Fund Administration.
Opposition MPs staged a walkout from the National Assembly on Thursday when the government sought urgent approval of four Public Service Commission commissioners, citing concerns about their age, qualifications, ethnic representation, and lack of adequate debate. The walkout left no quorum for the vote to proceed.
The National Housing Enterprise reported a N$23 million net profit for 2024/2025, up from N$6 million the previous year, but delivered only 191 houses—far below the government's target of 10,000 per year. The minister and board chairperson acknowledged the delivery gap and called for accelerated pace to address the housing backlog across Namibia's regions.
The National Housing Enterprise reported a net profit of N$22.5 million for 2024/25, a significant jump from N$6 million the previous year, largely due to a N$61 million government recapitalisation. However, the improvement masks underlying challenges: total revenue fell 15% to N$195 million as housing unit sales plummeted from 455 to 231 units, while non-performing loans and impairments have risen amid economic pressures.
The Finance Minister tabled the 2026/27 National Budget allocating N$1.9 billion to the Ministry of Rural and Urban Development, with N$744 million for developmental projects. The government reported progress in housing delivery through various programmes and is shifting key strategic projects to State-Owned Enterprises to maximise development funding.
The National Housing Enterprises has begun construction of 100 low-cost houses in Eenhana town, Ohangwena Region, in response to growing housing demand among low-income earners. The N$74 million project will be implemented in phases, with the first phase expected to start next week.
The National Housing Enterprises has committed to construct 100 houses valued at N$7.4 million in Eenhana's Extension 10, with construction set to begin on 16 February 2026 and run for five months. The initiative aims to address housing demand for low-income earners while creating employment and skills development opportunities for local residents.
The National Housing Enterprise is constructing 100 houses at Eenhana in Ohangwena region, with the first phase comprising 30 units at Ekolola. The project continues a partnership between the Eenhana Town Council and NHE to address the regional housing backlog, with a mayor noting the enterprise's construction of close to 400 houses between 1998 and 2015.
The National Housing Enterprises has launched a housing initiative targeting ultra-low-income earners, with monthly incomes up to N$3,500, using local and alternative building materials to reduce costs without compromising quality. Towns including Usakos, Ongwediva, and Oshakati will benefit from the program, which aims to help low-income Namibians acquire assets and achieve homeownership.
The National Housing Enterprise has rolled out the National Informal Settlement Upgrading Programme (NISUP) to transform temporary structures into permanent homes in major urban centres including Opuwo, Ondangwa, Rundu, and Walvis Bay. The enterprise aims to construct nearly 3,000 new homes this year but faces constraints from a housing backlog of 300,000 and limited availability of serviced land.
Minister of Urban and Rural Development James Sankwasa has rejected the National Housing Enterprise board's request to extend the contract of chief executive Gisbertus Mukulu beyond its June 2026 expiry, declining to publicly explain the decision. The rejection comes amid criticism of NHE's slow housing delivery—the organisation delivered only 445 houses in 2023/24 despite a national housing backlog of about 300,000 units.
Swakopmund Municipality plans to donate 165 single residential erven to residents of the Democratic Resettlement Community as part of a decongestion and land regularisation process. Beneficiaries, some of whom have lived in DRC for more than 28 years, will pay only a N$1,000 transfer fee instead of market value.