N$146m injected into shack dwellers housing drive

The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development injected N$146 million into the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia during the 2025/26 financial year, as the government steps up efforts to address the country’s housing crisis.

Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa revealed this during a one-on-one performance review with prime minister Elijah Ngurare in Windhoek yesterday.

Sankwasa said the funding was directed towards addressing the housing needs of low-income earners and vulnerable communities across the country.

“The ministry is working to accelerate access to decent and affordable housing, particularly for communities that continue to face challenges accessing formal housing,” he said.

According to Sankwasa, approximately 1 864 houses were completed countrywide during the period under review.

The ministry also facilitated the construction of 250 sanitation facilities in rural areas as part of efforts to improve living conditions and access to basic services.

Sankwasa said the ministry remains focused on accelerating land delivery, housing development, sanitation, decentralisation and local economic development.

He said the interventions are intended to address infrastructure gaps and improve the quality of life of communities in both urban and rural areas.

“These interventions are aimed at addressing infrastructure gaps and ensuring development reaches people across both urban and rural areas,” Sankwasa said.

Ngurare commended the ministry for its efforts to address Namibia’s housing shortage and improve access to basic services.

He stressed that housing remains one of the key priorities of the eighth administration, particularly for low-income households.

He said the government must ensure that Namibians have access to decent, safe and affordable housing, while strengthening cooperation between government, communities and other role-players.

Ngurare added that the government would continue prioritising initiatives aimed at responding to the housing needs of ordinary Namibians and accelerating housing delivery across the country.

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