Time for a National Integrity Agenda
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has repeatedly stated her commitment to fighting corruption. The challenge now is to demonstrate that commitment through action rather than words. Rather than government responding defensively to each claim as it arises, the President should use this moment to launch a comprehensive integrity agenda that would strengthen public trust and reduce opportunities […]
Onwards to Universal Health Coverage? Namibia’s Tough Road to Health Reform
Namibia’s ambition to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) marks one of the most important and potentially transformative public policy reforms since independence. Yet while the goal of ensuring that all Namibians have access to quality healthcare without suffering financial hardship is widely supported, the road towards UHC raises difficult questions about financing, governance and equity. […]
Fishrot Showed Us What Happens in the Dark. It’s Time to Switch on the Lights
The recent high-level engagement with the fishing industry in Walvis Bay was welcome – although long overdue. Unfortunately, judging from the speeches and contributions that have since been made public – as the meeting itself was closed to the public and civil society – the opportunity to confront the governance failures that continue to undermine […]
World Press Freedom Day 2026
To mark this important day, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) highlights key actions needed to strengthen media sustainability and press freedom in Namibia. These recommendations are based on IPPR’s research, including “Namibia’s Media: Facing the Digital Challenge” (2019) and “Dark Clouds, Silver Linings: Media Viability and Growth in Namibia” (2023). Both reports were […]
10 Reasons to be Thankful to Sam Nujoma
The passing of Sam Nujoma on 8 February 2025 presents a fitting moment to assess the contribution and legacy of Namibia’s founding president. 1. Lightning strikes multiple times The combat name he chose for himself was ‘shafiishuna’ which according to his own interpretation meant ‘lightning’ (others have alternative understandings see note at the end of […]
9 Actions to Strengthen Integrity in Namibia
Every year on December 9, the world observes International Anti-Corruption Day, a global initiative established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2003 to raise awareness about corruption and mobilise efforts to combat it. This date marks the anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the world’s most comprehensive anti-corruption […]
Why Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Sector Cannot Ignore Corruption Risks
The recent Green Hydrogen Summit in Windhoek showcased discussions on business models, marketing mechanisms, and green industrialisation strategies. But something was conspicuously missing: an honest conversation about governance and the risks of corruption. Given Namibia’s history with high-profile corruption cases, such as the Fishrot scandal and the collapse of the SME Bank, the absence of […]
Preparing Namibia for Carbon Border Adjustments
SUZIE SHEFENI Namibia and other African exporters face a clarion call to decarbonise their carbon-intensive industries or face financial penalties. Introduced in October 2023 with a two-year transition period, the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is designed to help Europe meet its carbon neutrality goals by 2050. Along with the promised mobilisation of €1 […]
The Time for Transparency in Oil & Gas is NOW
Namibia should undertake a series of critical measures to ensure transparency and good governance in its emergent oil and gas industry. There is a need for robust frameworks to prevent corruption, promote accountability, and position the sector as a transformative force for the national economy. Enhance Transparency Frameworks: Namibia should move quickly to enhance transparency […]
No Privacy, Guaranteed
Namibia’s mass surveillance framework is out of step with recent African human rights guidance Just as Namibia was about to operationalise its new mass state surveillance framework, it was already apparent that this framework does not align with African best practice guidelines. On 1 April 2024, Namibia’s enhanced mass communications surveillance framework came into force […]