By Hilda Basson-Namundjebo
“Governance momentum must not be lost,” warned Fluksman Samuel, Chairperson of the Public Enterprise CEOs Forum.
Setting the Context: A Sector in Transition
Since independence, Namibia has leapt through hoops, loops, and reform cycles in pursuit of a productive, responsive Public Enterprise (PE) sector.
These institutions were never meant to be passive; they were designed as strategic instruments for industrialisation, job creation, and inclusive service delivery.
Today, under NDP6, PEs are positioned at the heart of Namibia’s mission to drive economic growth, resilience, and equity.
Governed by the Public Enterprises Governance Act and guided by frameworks such as NamCode and King IV, PEs are expected to deliver more than financial returns.
They must empower communities, stimulate local economies, and restore public trust through transparent, accountable leadership.
The Decentralisation Dilemma
With the dissolution of the Ministry of Public Enterprises in March 2025, oversight has shifted to individual line ministries.
While this decentralisation may promise agility, it also risks fragmented governance, blurred reporting lines, and weakened strategic alignment.
Boards now face the challenge of navigating political silos while preserving institutional coherence.
Yet decentralisation, if well-managed, could unlock regional responsiveness, performance benchmarking, and innovation.
It will allow boards to tailor strategies to local contexts, accelerate youth employment, and align more closely with community needs—especially in a country where 71.1% of the population is under 35, according to the 2023 Housing and Population Census.
This demographic dividend demands generationally attuned, stakeholder- fluent leadership.
The Case for Future-Fit Boards
Board service must evolve from prestige to purposeful governance. In Namibia, the boardroom remains one of the most misunderstood spaces of leadership and too often seen as a reward for loyalty rather than a crucible for strategy and service.
For those of us who believe in legacy-driven governance, the boardroom is sacred ground. It is where power must be wielded with humility and foresight.
It is my firm belief that boards must drive an agenda rooted in value, not volume. The NamCode emphasizes transparency and ethical leadership while the Public Enterprises Governance Act calls for performance agreements and strategic alignment.
Finally, King IV reminds us that governance is not a tick-box exercise, it is a strategic tool, it should be culture.
With Vision 2030 a mere five years away and the concomitant responsibility to industrialise Namibia; boards must embody:
- Strategic thinkers with contextual intelligence
- Financial literacy and risk awareness
- Sector-specific insight (from energy to education)
- Emotional intelligence and stakeholder fluency
- A track record of strategic thinking—not just success
Global Comparisons: What Competitive SOEs Look Like
Globally, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are no longer bureaucratic relics—they are strategic market players. According to the World Bank, SOEs contribute up to 40% of domestic output and 20% of investment in some economies.
Countries like Singapore (Temasek), Norway (Statkraft), and Brazil (Petrobras) have shown that with clear mandates and empowered boards, SOEs can outperform private firms in innovation, infrastructure, and social returns.
The OECD further notes that 22% of the world’s largest firms are state-controlled, many of which are global competitors in energy, transport, and finance. These enterprises succeed because their boards are equipped with strategic clarity, stakeholder fluency, and performance accountability. These are qualities Namibia must now embed.
Reforming the Appointment Process
To future-proof Namibia’s PE boards:
- Codify board responsibilities through binding performance agreements
- Depoliticize appointments via independent panels and competency frameworks
- Invest in board education; especially around ethics, stakeholder engagement, and strategic governance
- Embed servant leadership as a core value: boards must serve, not rule
- Create public accountability dashboards to track SOE performance and community impact
Far too often, in my view, are too many board appointments driven by political proximity rather than competence. This undermines public trust and institutional performance. Boards must reflect the diversity, wisdom, and ethical depth of the nation they serve.
Why It Matters
Boards shape nations. They decide where resources go, which communities are served, and how institutions evolve. In the SOE sector, where corruption runs rampant and communities are neglected, we need board members who understand both strategy and service.
Servant leadership is not weakness—it is wisdom. It is the power to lead without dominating, to influence without coercing, and to serve without seeking applause. It is legacy !
*Hilda is a business leader, public speaker and a seasoned broadcast journalist. Founder of the national brand and organisation Team Namibia, Hilda believes her purpose is to impact the world with kindness, one engagement at a time.
