The Khomas Region continues to face significant development challenges that are stalling inclusive growth and social progress, Governor Sam Shafishuna Nujoma has warned.
Speaking at a recent stakeholder engagement session aimed at fostering collaboration and improving service delivery, Nujoma highlighted key concerns, including a housing backlog exceeding 25,000 units, high school dropout rates, and an inadequate public transport system.
“These challenges reflect the broader need for integrated and sustained development planning across sectors,” he said.
With more than 60% of Khomas residents under the age of 35, the Governor described the region as distinctly youthful, but expressed concern over the exclusion of young people from the formal economy.
“Many of our young people are locked out of the formal economy, excluded from housing markets, unsupported in enterprise, and underrepresented in procurement pipelines,” Nujoma said.
Youth unemployment in the region stands at over 41%, with many of those who are employed stuck in low-wage, informal or insecure jobs.
“Social grants keep families alive, but they are not transformative,” he said, adding that many of the existing systems are “overburdened and under-maintained”.
Nujoma also pointed to growing strain on basic infrastructure and services.
“Basic infrastructure such as waste management, electricity supply, water distribution, road maintenance, public transport, and social amenities are increasingly overwhelmed,” he said.
He noted that this cannot be attributed to population growth alone.
“They are also the product of governance systems that were not designed to adapt at the speed of urban expansion,” Nujoma said, highlighting the mismatch between rapid urbanisation and slow institutional reform.
To address these issues, the Governor called for inclusive economic strategies, youth-focused empowerment initiatives and stronger local governance structures capable of responding to the demands of a fast-growing region.
