Less than 40% of Namibia’s population has access to basic sanitation facilities, while 39.4% still practise open defecation, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Inge Zaamwani has revealed.
Speaking at the Third Namibia Regional Water Symposium in Swakopmund on Tuesday, Zaamwani said the country’s sanitation backlog remained a major concern despite 91.4% of households having access to safe drinking water, according to the 2023 Population and Housing Census.
She warned that progress in drinking water access had not been matched by improvements in sanitation, leaving a significant proportion of the population without adequate facilities.
“Sanitation remains a serious concern. The last financial year the ministry reported that access to basic sanitation facility still remains below 40 percent. And that open defecation stands at thirty-nine point four percent. This demands greater agency from all of us as stakeholders that are responsible for water supply,” Zaamwani said.
The minister said inadequate sanitation continued to affect the health, safety and dignity of vulnerable groups, particularly women, girls, older people and persons with disabilities.
She called for increased investment in sanitation infrastructure and targeted interventions to address service delivery gaps in underserved communities.
Zaamwani said Namibia could not claim to have achieved Sustainable Development Goal 6, which seeks to ensure access to clean water and sanitation for all by 2030, based solely on improvements in drinking water coverage.
She stressed that sanitation, hygiene and water quality must receive equal attention in national planning and investment programmes.
The minister also called for greater clarity in reporting water and sanitation access, noting the need to distinguish between national coverage figures and international standards for safely managed services.
She said future investment plans should prioritise communities without adequate water and sanitation services, while addressing infrastructure challenges and improving drought preparedness.
Zaamwani further urged stakeholders attending the symposium to develop practical measures supported by clearly defined priorities, responsible institutions, realistic implementation timelines and financing requirements.
She said the ministry would work with participating institutions to ensure that the outcomes of the discussions translated into concrete actions.
The figures highlight the gap between drinking water access and sanitation coverage as Namibia works towards meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal targets by 2030.
