The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economy and Industry, Public Administration and Planning, successfully hosted a three-day stakeholders’ consultation workshop in Swakopmund from 26–28 August 2025. The workshop brought together government institutions, policymakers, the private sector, and civil society to deliberate on Namibia’s economic growth, industrial development, and governance priorities while strengthening parliamentary oversight.
The Chairperson Honourable Iipumbu Shiimi formally opened the consultations, emphasizing that inclusive national dialogue is vital to crafting responsive, impactful policy. His remarks highlighted the importance of collaboration in addressing Namibia’s economic challenges and shared aspirations. Throughout the event, participants spotlighted critical issues such as SME access to finance, infrastructure development, regulatory reforms, skills enhancement, and local value addition as key pillars of sustainable economic growth.
During the engagements, the Office of the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of aligning the strategic plans of Offices, Ministries and Agencies with the country’s national development objectives, emphasizing that performance management remains key in promoting accountability and improved service delivery. The Namibia Statistics Agency underscored the significance of reliable and quality data in guiding development planning and explained how data can be used to measure the impact of legislation, particularly in light of Namibia’s recent reclassification by the World Bank as a Lower-Middle Income Country. Presentations also included progress updates on the implementation of recommendations from the previous Parliament as well as reforms aimed at repositioning the Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM) to improve efficiency within the public service which were revealed by Ms Gladice Pickering, Executive Director in the Office of the Prime Minister.
The National Planning Commission unpacked priorities under the Sixth National Development Plan, with its Executive Director cautioning that O/M/As will be held accountable for delays in executing assigned mandates. Members of Parliament raised a range of concerns and recommendations, including the need for a dedicated research function within the NPC, greater alignment of the education curriculum with national development needs, and increased investment into agriculture and agro-processing.
The workshop further engaged with the private sector and key economic enablers. Members noted ongoing challenges with service delivery despite the existence of Customer Service Charters within O/M/As, The Ministry of Mines and Energy unpacked its mandate and challenges, while also providing updates on Namibia’s Green Enterprise Programme and ongoing green hydrogen initiatives, the members also called for greater support to small-scale miners to enable them to fully participate in the economy. The Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry emphasized the need for stronger cooperation between government and the private sector to ensure legislation supports innovation and reflects the aspirations of the business community. The Ministry of Works and Transport highlighted progress in transport infrastructure while noting the lack of investment in the railway system, and NAMPORT emphasized its strategic role in supporting the oil and gas sector.
In her closing address, the Governor of Erongo Region, Honourable Natalia /Goagoses, commended the committee for tackling six priority themes: effective public administration and service delivery, understanding the economy and public finances, unpacking National Development Plan Six (NDP6), trade and industrialisation, transport and logistics, and the use of statistics for planning. She stressed that the aspirations of Namibians will not be realised without a competent public service and adequate resources for government programmes. Highlighting the urgency of industrial diversification, she reminded participants that “no country has industrialised without a diversified economy” and called for modernising Namibia’s infrastructure, especially rail and ports, to cement the country’s role as a transport hub for the SADC region. She also urged the effective use of accurate statistics to monitor progress toward Vision 2030, and challenged leaders to ensure that parliamentary recommendations translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives, echoing the late Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab’s warning that “without results and improvements that are tangible, workshopping is like an unfulfilled dream.”
Concluding the workshop, the Chairperson Hon. Shiimi reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to ensuring that Namibia’s development priorities under NDP6 are implemented effectively. He stressed that continuous collaboration between Parliament, government, and the private sector is vital in driving inclusive economic growth and positioning Namibia to take advantage of emerging opportunities. In an extension of its stakeholder outreach, the committee visited Cleanergy’s green hydrogen plant near Walvis Bay and the HyIron-Oshivela green hydrogen and green iron facility near Arandis (Southern Africa’s first zero-emission iron production plant using green hydrogen).
