The Namibian government plans to electrify 10,000 households this year at a cost of N$388.1 million, as part of efforts to connect over 400,000 households that currently remain without access to electricity by 2040.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Mines and Energy, Natangwe Ithete, said the programme forms the largest component of the ministry’s budget for the current financial year.
“This requires us to connect over 400,000 households that do not currently have access to electricity. With the current level of funding, we estimate 10,000 connections will be made this year,” he said.
Ithete stressed that access to electricity is not just a developmental goal but a basic necessity. “Electricity is a basic need and necessary for economic growth, provision of health services, education, and poverty eradication,” he said.
“We are working at a fast pace to electrify our communities. Every school, clinic, and home we connect reinforces the foundation for future development, unlocks productivity and opportunities for our people,” he added.
The government’s latest electrification drive follows a modest rollout in recent years. Only 2,634 households were electrified over the past two financial years at a total cost of N$95.3 million. This includes 1,956 households connected in the last fiscal year at a cost of N$75.5 million and 678 households connected in 2023/24 for N$19.8 million.
