Sovereign wealth fund designed to save revenue from fishing, mining and other natural resources for Namibia's future generations, with legislation at advanced stage as of April 2026.
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The Namibian
Welwitschia Fund held roughly N$460 million as of March 2025
“Our Welwitschia Fund, holding roughly N$460 million as of March 2025, is the seed of that promise.”
Energy Explainer Part 5: What Lasting Prosperity From Oil Looks LikeThe Namibian
Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund is an institution set up to save money from Namibia's natural resource wealth for future generations
“It is encouraging that president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah understands the importance of the Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund – an institution set up to save money from Namibia's natural resource wealth for future generations.”
Welwitschia Fund: A Gift For TomorrowThe Namibian
Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund is operating without enabling legislation
“Under what authority is the Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund operating without enabling legislation, and when will the law be tabled?”
President tackles Sona grilling on oil, landThe Namibian
Welwitschia Fund enhances resilience and equips young Namibians with economic opportunities
“Initiatives such as the Welwitschia Fund and the youth fund enhance resilience and equip young Namibians with opportunities for economic engagement and self-sufficiency.”
Frans Kapofi addresses Independence anniversary celebration at Sam Nujoma StadiumThe Namibian
Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund was recommended to benefit young people
“The establishment of the Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund was further recommended to benefit young people.”
Over N$60 million allocated to 140 youth projects – presidentNew Era
Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund could potentially draw on for capitalising a National Civil Society Fund
“This fund, capitalised through budget allocations and potentially drawing on Namibia's Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund, would provide core and programmatic support to CSOs aligned with the National Development Plans and Vision 2030 objectives.”
Opinion – The path forward : Namibian civil societyThe Namibian
Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund is Namibia's establishment, described as a step in the right direction
“Namibia's establishment of the Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund is a step in the right direction.”
What Namibia Can Learn from Ghana’s Petroleum Revenue GovernanceThe Namibian
Welwitschia Fund was set up in 2022
“The Welwitschia Fund set up in 2022 still requires appropriate oversight to ensure that the wealth generated from the oil and gas sector is managed prudently and transparently for the benefit of future generations.”
The Time for Transparency in Oil and Gas is NOWAs Namibia prepares for major oil production starting around 2029, an analyst argues that without deliberate efforts to ensure broad-based prosperity—not just enrichment of a connected elite—the country risks repeating the pattern of oil-dependent economies where wealth concentrates and vulnerability increases when prices fall.
1 July 2026 · The Namibian →
As Namibia prepares for major oil production starting around 2029, an analyst argues that without deliberate efforts to ensure broad-based prosperity—not just enrichment of a connected elite—the country risks repeating the pattern of oil-dependent economies where wealth concentrates and vulnerability increases when prices fall.
1 July 2026 · The Namibian →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah told parliament that legislation for the Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund — designed to save revenue from fishing, mining and other natural resources for future generations — has reached an advanced stage. She cautioned that the fund should not be misused as a slush fund for immediate spending on roads and schools.
12 April 2026 · The Namibian →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah answered questions from opposition MPs on the Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund, land delivery, Germany's genocide reparations deal, the veterinary cordon fence, and various economic and governance matters during parliament on Wednesday.
12 April 2026 · The Namibian →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced that Norway's government has agreed to provide technical support for developing Namibia's oil and gas sectors, citing Norway's international leadership in accountability and effective use of oil revenue. The President also defended her decision to place oil and gas supervision under the Presidency as a guard against the resource curse and urged Parliament to urgently pass the petroleum amendment bill to enable her oversight of upstream oil and gas activities.
9 April 2026 · The Namibian →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah delivered the 2026 state of the nation address on 8 April, outlining government progress on economic growth, human development, environmental sustainability, and governance. The address highlighted achievements including GDP growth projection of 3.1%, 130,000 new jobs registered, major investments in mining and renewable energy, and sectoral initiatives in agriculture, education, health, housing, and sports aligned with the sixth national development plan and Vision 2030.
9 April 2026 · The Namibian →
At a national Independence Day commemoration at Sam Nujoma Stadium on 21 March 2026, Frans Kapofi addressed Namibians 36 years after the country's sovereignty in 1990, honouring those who fought colonial rule and calling on citizens to contribute to national prosperity through active participation rather than passive expectation.
24 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Swapo MP Tobie Aupindi has proposed a "Commodity Dividend Model" under which Namibia would receive mining and resource dividends in physical commodities like gold, uranium, and lithium rather than fiat currency, arguing this would protect the country against inflation and currency volatility while building a strategic reserve. Aupindi also called for greater industrialisation, more effective taxation of mineral rents, reform of state-owned enterprises, and a shift from passive SACU reliance toward regional value chains and manufacturing.
12 March 2026 · New Era →
President Nandi-Ndaitwah reported at the African Peer Review Mechanism Summit that the National Youth Development Fund, established in 2025 with N$500 million capitalisation, created over 700 jobs in the 2025/26 financial year through loans and grants without collateral requirements. Namibia is also addressing youth unemployment through free tertiary education, mandatory internship programmes, and vocational training centres across all 14 regions.
26 February 2026 · New Era →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah presented Namibia's progress report on youth unemployment at the African Peer Review Forum, outlining reforms including education transformation, vocational training expansion, and the Welwitschia Fund to boost job creation. She also urged African leaders to prioritise water security and sanitation as central to the continent's development agenda.
14 February 2026 · Informanté →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced that N$62.3 million from the National Youth Development Fund has been disbursed to 140 youth projects, creating approximately 722 jobs. The N$500 million fund, launched in 2025, provides loans and grants to young entrepreneurs without collateral requirements.
14 February 2026 · The Namibian →
An opinion piece argues that Namibian CSOs have become trapped in donor-dependent cycles, driven by foreign funding priorities rather than local needs, and proposes reforms including a national civil society fund, government service contracting, domestic resource mobilisation, and stronger accountability to communities rather than foreign donors.
30 January 2026 · New Era →
An opinion piece examines Bernadus Swartbooi's calls for southern Namibian independence in light of historical land dispossession and upcoming oil revenues, arguing that Nigeria's civil war over oil-driven regional wealth division offers cautionary lessons for resolving Namibia's north-south divide through fair resource sharing rather than armed conflict.
28 January 2026 · The Namibian →