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Thursday, 22 October 2026
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Thursday, 22 October 2026
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Namibian press · Organization

Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund

Namibia's sovereign wealth fund, established in 2022 to save revenue from fishing, mining, and natural resources for future generations.

2023-11-112026-10-22
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News reports

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What’s been said

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

  1. April 2026

  2. The Namibian

    Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund is an institution set up to save money from Namibia's natural resource wealth for future generations

    Source

    “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 Tomorrow

  3. The Namibian

    Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund is operating without enabling legislation

    Source

    “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, land
  4. March 2026

  5. The Namibian

    Welwitschia Fund enhances resilience and equips young Namibians with economic opportunities

    Source

    “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 Stadium
  6. February 2026

  7. The Namibian

    Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund was recommended to benefit young people

    Source

    “The establishment of the Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund was further recommended to benefit young people.”

    Over N$60 million allocated to 140 youth projects – president
  8. January 2026

  9. New Era

    Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund could potentially draw on for capitalising a National Civil Society Fund

    Source

    “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 society
  10. July 2025

  11. The Namibian

    Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund is Namibia's establishment, described as a step in the right direction

    Source

    “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 Governance
  12. August 2024

  13. The Namibian

    Welwitschia Fund was set up in 2022

    Source

    “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 NOW
Business

Welwitschia Fund bill lacks safeguards, governance gaps warn analysts

The News

Simonis Storm warns that Namibia's draft Welwitschia Fund Bill, which is set to be tabled in Parliament this month, is "not ready to enact" due to missing critical formulas and governance safeguards. The firm cited concerns including unspecified petroleum deposit and withdrawal parameters, a fixed revenue threshold that could halt savings during downturns, and excessive concentration of powers in the finance minister without parliamentary checks.

8 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 8 October

  1. Welwitschia Fund bill lacks safeguards, governance gaps warn analysts

    Simonis Storm warns that Namibia's draft Welwitschia Fund Bill, which is set to be tabled in Parliament this month, is "not ready to enact" due to missing critical formulas and governance safeguards. The firm cited concerns including unspecified petroleum deposit and withdrawal parameters, a fixed revenue threshold that could halt savings during downturns, and excessive concentration of powers in the finance minister without parliamentary checks.

    8 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Tuesday 29 September

  1. Gold acquisition project reaches 50% of 600kg target

    Namibia's Gold Acquisition Project had acquired 10,716.90 fine troy ounces of locally produced gold valued at approximately N$767.7 million by early August 2026, reaching 50.6% of its 600-kilogram target. The Welwitschia Fund, Namibia's sovereign wealth fund, recorded a 9.4% return in the first half of 2026, with its market value growing from US$17.94 million at establishment in November 2022 to US$31.3 million by mid-2026.

    29 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Sunday 27 September

  1. Cabinet approves gold reserves, border management, gender measures

    Namibia's Cabinet endorsed progress on the Bank of Namibia's gold acquisition project, which has acquired 30.4kg toward a 600kg target, and approved an Inter-Agency Standard Operations framework for coordinated border management. The Cabinet also endorsed legislation to sustain gender equality gains, following Namibia's fourth-place ranking in the 2026 global gender gap index.

    27 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 20 August

  1. Government assures oil and gas investors of policy certainty

    At the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference, mines and energy minister Modestus Amutse reassured investors that policy uncertainty will not derail Namibia's most advanced offshore oil projects, citing institutional, policy, and fiscal certainty. The move of upstream petroleum control from the energy ministry to the Office of the Presidency is a deliberate realignment to protect the sector, Amutse said, while a new local content policy approved this month provides investors with clear expectations.

    20 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 19 August

  1. Minister urges Namibia to prepare for oil production, maximise local benefits

    At the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference 2026, Honourable Modestus Amutse, Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, called on Namibia to be ready for first oil and to maximise local benefits from the industry, addressing discoveries in the Orange Basin.

    19 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 17 August

  1. Namibia, Botswana emphasise diversification beyond natural resources

    Namibia and Botswana have discussed how natural resource wealth can be transformed into sustainable and inclusive prosperity, with both countries stressing the importance of economic diversification, strong institutions, and saving for future generations. Bank of Namibia governor Ebson Uanguta highlighted that resource wealth alone cannot guarantee broad-based prosperity, and called for greater local value addition, technology transfer, and stronger domestic supply chains as the country explores opportunities in oil and gas, renewable energy, and green hydrogen.

    17 August 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Welwitschia Fund reaches $30.85 million market value

    The Welwitschia Fund, established in 2022 to convert Namibia's resource wealth into longer-term financial wealth, has recorded a market value of US$30.85 million (N$508.47 million) as of 31 July, with an annualised return of 15.5% since inception. The fund is designed to strengthen Namibia's resilience to economic shocks and promote intergenerational equity, with a companion Sovereign Wealth Fund of Namibia Bill expected to be tabled in Parliament in 2026.

    17 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Sunday 16 August

  1. Namibia and Botswana discuss diversifying resource-dependent economies

    At a Bank of Namibia public lecture, the governors of Namibia and Botswana stressed that natural resource wealth alone cannot guarantee broad-based prosperity, emphasizing the need for economic diversification, strong institutions, local value addition, technology transfer, and saving for future generations.

    16 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 11 August

  1. Namibia's oil stake ownership question remains unresolved

    Namibia holds carried stakes in multiple offshore oil and gas blocks, including 10% of the Venus field licence expected to be developed by TotalEnergies by 2029. The article argues that the national conversation should focus on whether these current equity positions will translate into meaningful ownership as production begins.

    11 August 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. IMF: Namibia's slow growth insufficient to tackle unemployment

    The International Monetary Fund says Namibia's 1.7% economic growth in 2025 is too weak to meaningfully reduce unemployment, inequality and poverty, with growth expected to reach only 2.1% in 2026. The IMF attributes subdued performance to a narrow production base concentrated in public and extractive sectors, weak diamond production, declining gold output, and elevated fuel prices.

    11 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 4 August

  1. Namibia achieves first female leadership trio, book explores threats

    Namibia's Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah became the fifth president and first woman to hold the office on 21 March 2025, alongside the country's first woman vice president Lucia Witbooi and first woman speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, making Namibia the first country with women in all three top leadership positions. The article discusses Linda Robinson's book 'Women in Power: Fighting for Democracy in an Age of Authoritarianism', which explores how misogynistic authoritarianism, digital disinformation and sexualised attacks are used to push women out of power.

    4 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 1 July

  1. Oil wealth can become a curse without inclusive policy planning

    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 →

Sunday 12 April

  1. President pledges Welwitschia Wealth Fund for future generations

    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 →

  2. President addresses parliament on oil, land, wealth fund

    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 →

Thursday 9 April

  1. Namibia secures Norwegian technical support for oil and gas

    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 →

  2. President delivers 2026 state of nation address to Parliament

    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 →

Tuesday 24 March

  1. Kapofi celebrates 36 years of Namibian independence at stadium

    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 →

Thursday 12 March

  1. Aupindi proposes commodity dividends to hedge currency volatility

    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 →

Thursday 26 February

  1. Youth Development Fund creates 700 jobs in Namibia

    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 →

Saturday 14 February

  1. Namibia presents youth jobs, water security to African Union

    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 →

  2. President announces N$62.3 million disbursed to youth projects

    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 →

Friday 30 January

  1. Namibian civil society must reduce donor dependence, build local funding

    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 →

Wednesday 28 January

  1. Regional inequality and oil wealth spark south Namibia tensions

    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 →

Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute