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Monday, 8 June 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Monday, 8 June 2026
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Namibian press · Organization

National Youth Council

National Youth Council — organization focused on youth development, skills training, and international cooperation; led by interim executive chairperson Patience Masua as of April 2026.

2025-08-182026-06-08
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What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. February 2026

  2. New Era

    National Youth Council (NYC) held in-depth engagements with Venezuela's ambassador to Namibia, Magaly Henriquez González

    Source

    “The National Youth Council (NYC) yesterday held in-depth engagements with Venezuela's ambassador to Namibia , Magaly Henriquez González, where the two parties focused on solidifying bilateral ties between the countries.”

    NYC, Venezuela deepen ties

  3. New Era

    National Youth Council (NYC) held talks focused on strengthening diplomatic ties and establishing youth development programmes

    Source

    “Today's talks focused on further strengthening diplomatic ties between the countries, which aims to establish youth development programmes,strengthen coorperation in education, skills development, and cultural exchange.”

    Ties that bind…
  4. January 2026

  5. New Era

    National Youth Council is mired by prolonged leadership vacuum, infighting, and legal battles

    Source

    “There have been concerns from youth organisations and activists about the dysfunctionality of the council, which is mired by a prolonged leadership vacuum, persistent infighting, and ongoing legal battles that have severely undermined the institution's credibility.”

    Young Namibians must own NYC – Masua

  6. New Era

    National Youth Council has three cases for removal before end of fourth quarter 2025/2026

    Source

    “An additional three cases submitted to the Minister before 2025 are currently with the National Youth Council (NYC) for removal before the end of the fourth quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year.”

    Kavango tackles 43 land cases
  7. November 2025

  8. The Namibian

    National Youth Council collaborated with Junior Katoma on youth voter participation

    Source

    “His recent collaboration with the National Youth Council, encouraging youth participation in the upcoming regional council and local authority elections, is one example of how his platform now extends beyond entertainment.”

    TikToker pushes youth to vote
  9. August 2025

  10. The Namibian

    National Youth Council organised celebrations that lasted more than four days

    Source

    “The National Youth Council (NYC) organised the celebrations that lasted for more than four days, and which included parades from the Multipurpose Youth Resource Centre, brass band performances by the National Youth Service, businesspeople's exhibitions and debates on the theme.”

    Youth week celebrations act towards Namibia’s future
Society

Youth exclusion threatens Namibia's stability, minister warns

The News

Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture Sanet Steenkamp warned that Namibia risks future instability if young people are excluded from governance, economic opportunities and decision-making. She noted that 37% of Namibia's population is under age 15 and that youth should be treated as partners in governance and development rather than as a problem to manage.

Why it matters

Education Minister warning that youth exclusion threatens Namibia's future stability highlights critical demographic and governance vulnerabilities.

27 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 27 May

  1. Youth exclusion threatens Namibia's stability, minister warns

    Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture Sanet Steenkamp warned that Namibia risks future instability if young people are excluded from governance, economic opportunities and decision-making. She noted that 37% of Namibia's population is under age 15 and that youth should be treated as partners in governance and development rather than as a problem to manage.

    27 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 21 May

  1. Youth centres to become multi-purpose hubs for skills

    Twamanguluka youth organisation and the ministry of youth have launched a national Youth Centre Revitalisation Project to transform youth centres into integrated hubs offering education, healthcare, enterprise development, sports, technology and employment pathways. Pilot programmes will begin in Katima Mulilo, Rundu and Gobabis.

    21 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 15 April

  1. Deputy minister presents youth, sports budget for 2026/27

    Deputy Minister Dino Ballotti presented the N$35.104 million youth and sports budget for the 2026/2027 financial year to the National Assembly, framing it as a strategic investment in Namibia's future given that 71.1% of the population is under 35. The budget allocates funds for youth skills training and entrepreneurship, the National Youth Service, sports development and infrastructure including N$140 million for basic sporting facilities across regions.

    15 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 7 April

  1. President appoints new ministerial and deputy ministerial officials

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has appointed several new officials to ministerial and deputy ministerial positions, including Charles Mubita as minister in the Presidency, Hambeleleni Ndjaleka as deputy minister of health and social services, and others to various portfolio positions across government departments.

    7 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 31 March

  1. Youth leader calls for job creation reforms and NYC funding

    The secretary general of Nudo Youth League urged the government to allocate sufficient funding to the National Youth Council and reform Affirmative Action legislation to help graduates enter the job market, citing Namibia's youth unemployment rate of 44.4% as a serious concern requiring effective policies on job creation.

    31 March 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 11 February

  1. Youth embrace Uvhungu-Vungu agro-processing project in Rundu

    Young people in Rundu Rural constituency have welcomed a government plan to establish an agro-processing facility at Uvhungu-Vungu that would process juice and jam from locally grown fruits, with expectations of creating over 50 jobs and providing skills training in fruit processing and value addition. The project, which aligns with the Sixth National Development Plan and Vision 2030, stems from agreements made in August 2025, though officials warn that delays could worsen poverty and increase crime among youth.

    11 February 2026 · New Era →

Thursday 5 February

  1. Venezuela's ambassador warns Namibia to protect oil interests

    Venezuela's ambassador to Namibia has urged the country to learn from Venezuela's political crisis and develop mechanisms to protect its emerging oil and gas sector, cautioning that traditional international law and respect for sovereignty cannot be relied upon. The warning comes as Namibia positions itself as a key oil and gas frontier following major offshore discoveries in the Orange Basin.

    5 February 2026 · New Era →

  2. NYC and Venezuela expand youth education and scholarship ties

    The National Youth Council met with Venezuela's ambassador to solidify bilateral relations, with focus on youth development programmes, education, skills training, and cultural exchange. Venezuela announced nine scholarships in petroleum and 50 additional scholarships in agriculture, science, engineering, and medicine for Namibian youth.

    5 February 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 4 February

  1. Namibia and Venezuela discuss youth development cooperation

    The National Youth Council's interim executive chairperson and Venezuela's ambassador to Namibia met to strengthen diplomatic ties and establish youth development programmes, with plans to expand cooperation in education, skills development, and cultural exchange.

    4 February 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 28 January

  1. New NYC interim chair pledges ownership, revived programmes

    Patience Masua, newly appointed interim executive chairperson of the National Youth Council, said young people must take ownership of the institution and vowed to restore confidence through functional, meaningful programmes that respond to youth aspirations. She plans to hold a General Assembly soon and revive strategic partnerships while ensuring compliance with the NYC Act.

    28 January 2026 · New Era →

Friday 23 January

  1. NYC interim chief's N$100,000 salary draws youth leader criticism

    Acting National Youth Council executive chairperson Patience Masua says she does not set her own salary, responding to backlash over her reported N$100,000 monthly remuneration for three months. Youth leaders, including the National Council of Students president and Popular Democratic Movement Youth League spokesperson, have criticized the amount as disproportionate given the council's limited financial support to affiliate organizations.

    23 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 21 January

  1. Masua appointed NYC interim chairperson following Kariseb resignation

    Former parliamentarian Patience Masua has been appointed interim executive chairperson of the National Youth Council by Education Minister Sanet Steenkamp, following Kennedy Kariseb's resignation in December. The appointment aims to ensure continuity and stability at the council during the interim period.

    21 January 2026 · New Era →

Tuesday 13 January

  1. Kavango West investigates 43 illegal fencing cases in 2025

    The Kavango West Communal Land Board investigated 43 cases of illegal fencing throughout 2025, mostly linked to land allocations backed by traditional authorities; 40 cases were referred to traditional authorities for resolution while three went to the minister for removal. The Board identified illegal land sales as the biggest challenge and noted that offenders often refuse to voluntarily remove structures and that appeals delay action.

    13 January 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 7 January

  1. IYC Namibia appoints ambassador to lead youth-driven development

    Intercontinental Youth Connect has appointed Tjipura Tjipura as its first ambassador in Namibia to localise global opportunities for youth and align them with the National Development Plan 6. Through partnerships and initiatives including the Youth Investment Network and Africa-Asia Youth Platform, IYC Namibia aims to transition young people from policy observers to active implementers of national development goals, with particular focus on rural youth participation and economic transformation.

    7 January 2026 · New Era →

National Youth Council — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute