State invests N$146m in shack dwellers’ housing

The government has injected N$146 million into the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN) during the 2025/26 financial year to address the housing needs of low-income earners.

The funding comes as government intensifies efforts to expand access to decent and affordable homes in Namibia.

Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa disclosed this during a performance review with Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare last week. During the presentation, Sankwasa outlined the ministry’s progress in housing delivery, sanitation and rural development.

Sankwasa said the ministry had facilitated the completion of approximately 1 864 houses countrywide during the period under review. He also reported that 250 sanitation facilities had been

constructed in rural areas as part of efforts to improve living conditions and access to basic services.

The minister said the ministry remained committed to accelerating land delivery, housing, sanitation, decentralisation and local economic development.

These interventions are aimed at addressing infrastructure gaps and ensuring that development reaches communities in both urban and rural areas.

Ngurare commended the ministry’s efforts to address the country’s housing challenges and improve access to basic services.

He emphasised that housing remained one of the key priorities of the Eighth Administration, particularly for low-income households struggling to access decent, safe and affordable accommodation.

Ngurare said that the government would continue to prioritise initiatives that respond to the housing needs of ordinary Namibians, while strengthening collaboration between government, communities and other stakeholders to accelerate delivery.

**3 168 houses built **

A presentation submitted by SDFN and
the Namibia Housing Action Group
(NHAG) to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Urban and Rural
Development and Land Reform on Wednesday shows that the federation was constructing 3 168 housing units under its 2025/26 programme.

Of these, 2 354 had been recorded as completed, leaving 814 units still to be completed or recorded as completed.

The programme comprises 1 554 greenfield units, built on newly developed land and 1 614 brownfield units, developed within existing settlements.

The presentation indicates that 1 400 greenfield houses and 950 brownfield houses had been completed.

Shack dwellers estimate that each house creates employment for five people, translating into a potential 15 840 job opportunities across the programme. However, this is an estimate based on the federation’s construction model and does not mean that all the jobs have already been created.

The figures highlight the potential of community-led housing to contribute to employment while addressing the shortage of affordable homes. Shack dwellers and Namibia housing have built more than 11 000 houses since 1998 and operate in urban centres across all 14 regions.

**Housing delivery **

The organisations’ housing model relies partly on communities pooling their resources to finance construction and negotiate access to land and services.

The presentation stated that the federation has 1 017 savings groups with 29 478 members nationwide. Women account for 20 276 members, compared with 9 202 men.

The report records N$34.49 million in accumulated savings; N$7.62 million saved over six months and N$10.72 million in savings for land. Combined, these categories amount to approximately N$45.21 million.

Members can also apply for housing loans through the Twahangana Fund, a revolving loan facility administered through savings groups.

**Serviced land remains a hurdle **

Despite progress in housing construction, access to serviced land and essential infrastructure remains a major challenge.

The presentation states that the informal settlement upgrading programme covers 54 settlements in 29 urban areas across 11 regions, with 36 648 households and 31 387 plots listed within its coverage.

However, the figures do not mean that all the households have already received fully serviced plots, or that infrastructure development has been completed in every settlement. In Keetmanshoop, projects at Kronlein Extension 2 and Brukaros Extension 4 were reported as 100% complete, with approximately 430 erven serviced and 30 jobs created.

Meanwhile, in Otjiwarongo, the partnership worked with the municipality to provide water reticulation for 404 plots in Eie Risiko Extensions 16 and 17. The project was
reported as completed at the end of December 2025.

Communities have also used their savings to install water lines for 50 plots in Tsandi, 58 in Outapi, 200 in Omuthiya and 200 in Omaruru.

However, construction costs remain a concern. SDFN and NHAG have negotiated discounted prices and the removal of transport charges with Megabuild to help members obtain building materials at lower costs. The presentation also highlights shortages of essential resources. A housing project at Kries declined because water and sand were unavailable, illustrating how limited construction resources can delay or prevent housing delivery.

The federation’s ability to complete the remaining units will therefore depend on sustained construction, affordable materials and access to suitable land and basic services.

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