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

Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia

Also known as: SDFN · shack dwellers federation

Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia — housing advocacy organization that builds homes through partnerships; constructing over 530 houses valued at N$23 million and ongoing projects including 54 homes at Usakos.

Society

Government launches N$14 million Otjiwarongo shack upgrade

The News

The government has begun a phased project to replace informal settlements with serviced land in Otjiwarongo, starting with water infrastructure in Eie Risiko that has already connected 80 households to taps and water meters. Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa said future phases will include electricity, roads, and sewerage, with plans to eliminate shacks in the area within a year.

19 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 19 March

  1. Government launches N$14 million Otjiwarongo shack upgrade

    The government has begun a phased project to replace informal settlements with serviced land in Otjiwarongo, starting with water infrastructure in Eie Risiko that has already connected 80 households to taps and water meters. Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa said future phases will include electricity, roads, and sewerage, with plans to eliminate shacks in the area within a year.

    19 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 13 March

  1. Okongo Village Council CEO outlines five-year development plans

    Jackson Muma, CEO of Okongo Village Council, discussed ongoing infrastructure and land delivery projects, including servicing 55 plots in Block 103 with N$5.6 million in funding, allocating 121 semi-serviced plots to the Shack Dwellers Federation, and developing an open market. Over the next five years, the council plans to position Okongo as an investment centre focusing on agriculture, tourism, and sports development, including construction of a 7-hectare sports field.

    13 March 2026 · New Era →

  2. Urban ministry's budget cut will worsen housing backlog, IPC warns

    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.

    13 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 10 March

  1. Namibia's top three government posts now held by women

    National Assembly Speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, the first woman to lead Namibia's parliament, says the country is advancing gender equality through policy advocacy and gender-sound laws. With President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Vice President Lucia Witbooi also in office, Namibia is among the few countries globally where women hold the president, vice president, and speaker positions simultaneously.

    10 March 2026 · New Era →

Saturday 7 March

  1. President backs alternative building technology for housing

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called for further exploration of alternative housing technologies after inspecting a demonstration house built using Alternative Building Technology (ABT) panels in Okahandja Park. The President directed government officials to explore how the technology could be scaled up to help address Namibia's housing backlog, and commended the Namibian entrepreneurs behind the initiative.

    7 March 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 27 February

  1. Government allocates N$1.9 billion to housing and urban development

    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.

    27 February 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 20 February

  1. Swakopmund civil servant reflects on two decades serving public

    Hilda Patricia van Nooten, a senior administrative officer at Erongo Regional Council since 2002, says her initial motivation of employment grew into genuine commitment to public service. Van Nooten emphasizes principles of integrity and transparency, and credits self-driven learning with mastering legal frameworks that ensure council operations comply with law.

    20 February 2026 · New Era →

  2. Standard Bank's Buy-a-Brick raises N$27 million, builds 740 homes

    Since 2015, Standard Bank Namibia's Buy-a-Brick initiative has raised over N$27 million in partnership with the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia, helping construct more than 7,000 brick homes that have improved living conditions for over 30,000 Namibians. In 2024, the bank contributed N$3.5 million to build 76 additional homes in the Erongo and Omusati regions.

    20 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 13 February

  1. ABT Panels delivers two-bedroom house in two days

    ABT Panels handed over a two-bedroom house built in two days at Okahandja Park in partnership with the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia. The house uses a panel-based system for thermal efficiency and was built to provide affordable, sustainable housing to vulnerable communities.

    13 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 11 February

  1. Okongo council and shack dwellers dispute plot allocation fairness

    The Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia at Okongo says the village council failed to deliver plots to six of 21 members who paid N$17,371 for a land survey. The council chief confirms the six members were not allocated plots due to land unavailability but says alternative plots have since been secured for them.

    11 February 2026 · The Namibian →

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