Also known as: NYS · National Youth Service centres
National Youth Service — government organization offering youth training, skills development, and employment pathways, currently operating with governance concerns.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
Informanté
National Youth Service supported removal of an illegal fence at Onamishu Village
“THE Oshikoto Regional Communal Land Board, supported by the Lands Division of the Oshikoto Regional Council and the National Youth Service (NYS), has started removing an illegal fence at Onamishu Village in the Nehale Lya Mpingana Constituency, following a lengthy legal and administrative process.”
Oshikoto removes illegal fence to ensure communal land accessNew Era
National Youth Service enrolled Lusina Hamutwalela in a sewing course
“She said in 2013, she applied for the National Youth Service programme to enrol in a sewing course.”
Tailoring business pays off home loanNew Era
National Youth Service implemented a five-week rehabilitation pilot programme between February and March 2026
“As part of its latest response, the ministry partnered with the National Youth Service to implement a five-week rehabilitation pilot programme between February and March 2026.”
Govt takes street kids’ crisis head-onNew Era
National Youth Service (NYS) returned home with six trophies and medals
“They returned home with six trophies and medals after excelling across several sporting disciplines.”
NYS scoops six trophies and medals at SOE GamesNew Era
NYS was awarded Overall Best Performer award
“The institution also walked away with the prestigious Overall Best Performer award, underscoring its dominance at this year's games.”
NYS scoops six trophies and medals at SOE GamesInformanté
National Youth Service has entered into three-year Memorandum of Understanding with Namibia Revenue Agency
“THE National Youth Service (NYS) and the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) have entered into a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing cooperation in human capital development, institutional capacity-building and broader national development efforts.”
NYS and NamRA sign three-year partnership to boost skills developmentWindhoek Observer
National Youth Service (NYS) signed three-year agreement with NamRA for youth development and public service training
“The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) and the National Youth Service (NYS) have signed a three-year agreement aimed at strengthening youth development and preparing graduates for work in key public service and economic sectors.”
NAMRA, NYS ink deal to train graduates for public serviceInformanté
National Youth Service operates Gemsbok Farm where trainees received skills development
“TRAINEES at Gemsbok Farm under the National Youth Service (NYS) have expressed appreciation for the opportunities created through the Ministry's Namibia Integrated Landscape Approach for Enhancing Livelihoods and Environmental Governance to Eradicate Poverty (NILALEG) Project, which has generated employment and skills development prospects for hundreds of young people while promoting sustainable agricultural practices.”
Farm project creates over 300 jobs for youthWindhoek Observer
National Youth Service has been operating with only four board members for more than a year
“The National Youth Service (NYS) has been operating with only four board members for more than a year, falling below the statutory minimum of seven prescribed by the NYS Act 6 of 2005.”
NYS operates with four board members for over a year …falling below statutory limit of at least seven membersNew Era
National Youth Service trained and enlisted 1 030 recruits completed training; 600 enlisted into Namibian Defence Force
“Through the National Youth Service, 1 030 recruits have completed training, while 600 from the 16th and earlier intakes of the 2025/26 financial year have been enlisted into the Namibian Defence Force.”
Govt backs jobs, skills and funding for youthPresident Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah directed the education ministry to use alternative procurement for a N$540-million school hostel food tender, with the Namibia Training Authority as lead service provider and other public entities, sparking court action from companies questioning the non-public tendering process.
2 September 2026 · The Namibian →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah directed the education ministry to use alternative procurement for a N$540-million school hostel food tender, with the Namibia Training Authority as lead service provider and other public entities, sparking court action from companies questioning the non-public tendering process.
2 September 2026 · The Namibian →
National Assembly member Willem Amutenya has called on the National Youth Service to extend its recruitment age limit to include Namibians aged 31–35, arguing that this age group remains critical to social and economic development and should not be excluded from youth empowerment initiatives.
12 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The number of Namibian children receiving support for living and working on the street fell by more than 40% from 857 in 2014 to 485 in 2023, according to the government's Child Care and Protection Statistics Report (2014-2023). The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare attributes the decline to improved reintegration into families, schools and communities.
10 August 2026 · The Namibian →
The Oshikoto Regional Communal Land Board, supported by the Lands Division and National Youth Service, has begun removing an illegal 170-metre fence at Onamishu Village after a lengthy legal process initiated by community complaints in 2020 that it restricted access to grazing areas and natural resources.
6 August 2026 · Informanté →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah opened the 2026 MTC KasiVibe Festival, themed "Building Opportunities for Namibia's Youth through Entrepreneurship and Innovation," commending founders Willibard and Salmi Shigwedha for creating a platform that empowers young people to showcase entrepreneurial ventures, creative talents, and services.
5 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Swapo MP Willem Amutenya has urged the education minister to review the National Youth Service's admission requirements, arguing that the academic threshold and age limit (16–30) exclude disadvantaged youth the programme was intended to assist, and calls for broadened access.
3 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Lusina Hamutwalela, a tailor in Okongo, has fully paid off a home loan taken in 2016 through her tailoring business, which she started in 2014 after completing a National Youth Service sewing course. She now operates from a centre in Okongo donated by the Ministry of Gender and works with six other women producing traditional attire and uniforms for clients including brides, grooms, and schools.
29 July 2026 · New Era →
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare identified 373 children living and working on the streets in 2023 and plans to conduct a regional study this year to determine actual numbers and social and economic factors driving children to street life. The Khomas region recorded the highest number of street-connected children.
16 July 2026 · New Era →
The National Youth Service collected six trophies and medals at the 2026 State-Owned Enterprises Games in Rundu, winning men's and women's relays and the women's marathon, plus the Most Cheerful Team and Overall Best Performer awards. NYS commissioner Felix Musukubili also retained his CEO's Sportsman Award and was the sole CEO to medal in the 10-kilometre race.
15 July 2026 · New Era →
Langer Heinrich Uranium has donated a fully equipped 4×4 off-road ambulance to the Ministry of Health and Social Services Erongo Directorate to strengthen emergency healthcare services in Arandis and surrounding communities. The donation brings the total number of ambulances provided by LHU to the directorate to seven, with a combined value exceeding N$6.1 million, supporting services across Arandis, Omaruru, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Henties Bay.
1 July 2026 · Informanté →
The National Youth Service and Namibia Revenue Agency have signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding to enhance cooperation in human capital development, capacity-building and national development, including a three-month National Service Training programme for graduate recruits at NamRA.
25 June 2026 · Informanté →
Namibia Revenue Agency commissioner Sam Shivute floated the idea of requiring young Namibians to complete National Youth Service training before accessing further education.
25 June 2026 · Namibian Sun →
The Namibia Revenue Agency and National Youth Service have signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen youth development and prepare graduates for public service work through a three-month National Service Training programme focusing on discipline, work ethics, and public service readiness.
24 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Youth leaders and political commentators are calling for the National Youth Council to abandon candidate endorsements, following violence at a general assembly in Swakopmund that led to postponement of elections and resignation of the electoral committee.
23 June 2026 · The Namibian →
A National Youth Council elective general assembly that began Friday descended into chaos on Saturday, injuring nine delegates and prompting education minister Sanet Steenkamp to postpone the assembly indefinitely. The disruption involved disputes over the electoral process, with disagreements over delegate allocations and factional tensions.
22 June 2026 · New Era →
The National Youth Council's general assembly in Swakopmund descended into violence on Saturday, injuring nine delegates and forcing the electoral committee to resign over safety concerns. The suspended election process, marred by allegations of political interference and back-door deals, has wasted an estimated N$2 million in public funds.
22 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Gemsbok Farm trainees under the National Youth Service have benefited from the NILALEG project, which has generated more than 300 jobs through investments in fodder and charcoal production, along with practical training in sustainable agricultural practices. More than N$800,000 has been invested to support the initiative, which aims to empower young people and create sustainable economic opportunities in rural areas.
11 June 2026 · Informanté →
The National Youth Service has operated with only four board members for more than a year, below the statutory minimum of seven prescribed by the NYS Act 6 of 2005. A governance expert warned the arrangement creates compliance concerns and heightens governance risks, with sources fearing resolutions passed under the current arrangement could be deemed void.
4 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
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 →
Agriculture minister Inge Zaamwani has questioned a N$179 million quotation from August 26 Construction for a 400-kilometre border fence project along the Namibia-South Africa border aimed at containing foot-and-mouth disease, citing cost concerns and procurement issues.
6 May 2026 · The Namibian →
President Nandi-Ndaitwah announced expanded government programmes to address youth unemployment through training, skills development, and funding. The initiatives include mushroom cultivation and biomass training, the Youth Credit Scheme, and the Youth Development Fund, which has approved 211 projects worth N$63.1 million with potential to create 898 jobs.
15 April 2026 · New Era →
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 →
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has been allocated N$417.2 million for the 2026/2027 financial year to advance gender equity, child protection, and women's economic empowerment across Namibia. In the past year, the ministry supported 347 survivors of gender-based violence and trafficking, accommodated 329 street children in boarding schools, and expanded early childhood development enrolment from 110,726 to 126,213 across the country.
15 April 2026 · The Namibian →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced that 1,779 cadet constables from the 2024/2025 training intake have graduated and been deployed nationwide as part of a strategy to enhance national safety and security. Additionally, 426 officers were appointed to the Correctional Service, while the Namibia Defence Force trained 2,419 members in combat and academic skills, with 1,705 youths undergoing military training due to graduate in May 2026.
10 April 2026 · New Era →
The National Youth Service's five-week rehabilitation programme at Henties Bay introduced 76 street-connected children aged 12–18 to structure, medical care, psychosocial support and life skills, with plans to transition them into formal schooling and vocational training. Graduates reported gaining confidence, emotional resilience and a sense of belonging after years of survival on the streets.
31 March 2026 · New Era →
About 75 children aged 12–18 from five regions completed a five-week rehabilitation and reintegration programme run by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare in partnership with the National Youth Service at Henties Bay. The training focused on discipline, patriotism, voluntarism and agricultural skills, with officials calling on families to support the children's reintegration.
17 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibia Industrial Development Agency says significant progress has been made reviving the Manyeha Crocodile Farm in Kongola, with land clearing and roofing completed and renovations underway. The farm is expected to relaunch as a lodge by end of 2026, followed by agricultural crocodile breeding operations in 2027, though traditional governance complexities have created some coordination challenges.
5 March 2026 · New Era →
Education Minister Sanet Steenkamp opened three new classrooms and ablution facilities at Suiderhof Primary School in Windhoek, funded by community contributions of about N$2 million. The ministry plans to roll out similar decongestion projects across several regions to address overcrowding in schools.
2 March 2026 · Informanté →
The Ohangwena Communal Land Board has begun dismantling illegally erected fences in the region, deploying 40 National Youth Service trainees to remove approximately 20 illegal fences identified in Okongo Constituency. The operation, which started on 17 February and is expected to last until Sunday, aims to restore communal grazing land and is part of a broader government effort to address a persistent problem across Namibia's Northern regions.
19 February 2026 · Informanté →
The Ohangwena Communal Land Board has begun removing 22 illegal fences in Okongo constituency between 17 and 22 February, with more than 50 National Youth Service members deployed to assist. Board chairperson Wilhelmina Shakela said the occupants had ignored letters to vacate, as the communal land is reserved for grazing, though demonstrators in recent weeks have protested the removals claiming they would lose their homes.
18 February 2026 · New Era →