The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) is calling for a more balanced distribution of foreign direct investment (FDI), arguing that current inflows are overly concentrated in Windhoek and coastal areas, while rural regions with untapped potential continue to be left behind.
Speaking during a recent Government Information Centre (GIC) session, NIPDB CEO Nangula Uaandja said, “In Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, Ohangwena and others, we have water and arable land, but we are not seeing the level of investment we need. Investment is mostly coming to Windhoek, Lüderitz and Erongo, but our highest levels of unemployment are in the regions with the most natural agricultural potential.”
NIPDB warned that this concentration of investment is undermining efforts to achieve inclusive national development.
Although Namibia has attracted over N$114.9 billion in FDI since 2021, most of it has been directed towards large-scale oil and gas projects in the south and west.
“We want to make sure that FDI is coming into your region. We are asking regions: what is your unique offering? Let’s work together to increase that flow of investment,” Uaandja said.
To address this imbalance, NIPDB is conducting regional tours to identify and promote investment opportunities beyond the main urban centres. The board is also engaging with traditional authorities to encourage the release of communal land for development.
“If they want to create employment opportunities and business opportunities for their people, the one lever they can pull is land. They can also become investors in their own land. We are working with them to identify areas that can be used for investment,” Uaandja explained.
She stressed that Namibia must move away from passively waiting for investment and instead take a targeted approach to attract capital to where it is most needed.
“It’s not about just sitting and waiting for investors to find us. We have been passive recipients for too long. Now we are actively identifying where investment is needed and going out to find partners,” she said.
The NIPDB also emphasised the importance of preparing local businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises, to link with foreign investors and benefit from new projects.
“We are not only chasing big FDI numbers. We want local businesses to be ready to supply goods and services to these investments. Otherwise the impact won’t be felt,” Uaandja said.
She further noted that improving the investment environment will require policy reforms, lower operational costs, faster service delivery, and a strong focus on creating an investor-friendly culture.
“We need to reduce the cost of doing business, improve turnaround times, close policy gaps, and drive a culture of service. But most of all, we need to make sure that investment reaches every corner of the country,” Uaandja said.
