By Mekondjo Erastus
The National Development Plans are a series of strategic documents that outline the objectives and aspirations of Namibia’s long-term development strategy as expressed in Vision 2030. The country commenced this journey with its first National Development Plan, 1995/96– 1999/2000, and now has developed its final installment with NDP6 2025/26–2029/30. NDP6 will serve as the climatic bridging document and a determinant of success for Vision 2030, spanning the final five years to fully align, and uniquely craft the delivery of the nation’s development agenda.
Namibia’s development planning journey through NDP1 to NDP5 reveals a consistent pattern of ambitious goal-setting coupled with implementation challenges. Despite achieving an average GDP growth rate of 4.6% during NDP4 and reducing poverty from 28.7% (2009/10) to 18% (2015/16), structural unemployment is still above 33% and economic diversification goals remain largely unrealized.
What’s different about NDP 6?
NDP 6 is structured around four interconnected pillars, representing a more integrated approach than previous plans.
Pillar 1: Economic Growth, Transformation and Resilience focuses on structural economic change through mineral beneficiation, green hydrogen development, and the expansion of manufacturing capacity. The ambitious target of increasing manufacturing’s GDP contribution to 18% and achieving 60% manufactured exports represents a fundamental economic restructuring.
Pillar 2: Human Development and Community Resilience addresses the human capital requirements for economic transformation, with particular emphasis on technical and vocational education aligned with emerging industry needs.
Pillar 3: Environmental Sustainability positions environmental assets as economic drivers rather than constraints, integrating green economy principles throughout the development framework.
Pillar 4: Good Governance and Effective Public Service Delivery recognizes that institutional capacity and service delivery efficiency are prerequisites for successful implementation. NDP 6’s simultaneous pursuit of extractive industries (oil/gas), renewable energy (green hydrogen), and manufacturing represents a multi-track diversification strategy that could reduce commodity dependence while building industrial capacity.
The NAD 505 billion investment required in achieving NDP 6 objectives, represents approximately 2.5 times Namibia’s current annual GDP. This is to be financed through a forward-financing model based on future resource rents, significant private sector participation and direct investment. However, while the total financing framework appears adequate on paper, the actual mobilization of substantial private investment depends on creating an investment climate that has historically been challenging to establish. Equally, success relies heavily on international partnerships, technology transfer, and global market conditions, creating vulnerability to external shocks. Unfortunately, while addressed briefly in its formulation white paper, NDP 6 by in large fails to fully articulate its ambitions regarding Public-Private-Community Partnerships that incorporates community participation and benefit-sharing mechanisms. If not addressed, the “enclave” structure of Namibia’s economy will continue to increase inequality.
Community-Centered Resource Development Model
Community participation and benefit sharing mechanisms represent a critical catalyst for NDP6 success across all its pillars. While the plan acknowledges community partnerships as a guiding principle, the implementation framework remains predominantly state-centric, risking the same implementation failures that have characterized previous NDPs. These mechanisms are rarely addressed beyond the context of the tourism sector where 86 communal conservancies successfully generate more than USD 10 million a year in cash income and in-kind benefits for local community members. Through a Community-Centered Resource Development Model, mechanisms need to be developed for affected communities to hold direct equity stakes rather than only benefiting through government participation.
This will enhance local ownership and long-term benefit security through the establishment of community-controlled corporations that can participate as equal partners in resource development ventures and continue to build capacity for ongoing engagement. Currently, community participation requirements in the extractive industry are scattered across multiple acts (Environmental Management Act, Traditional Authorities Act, Communal Land Reform Act) without coherent integration or effective enforcement mechanisms. These communities also often lack technical expertise and institutional support to negotiate complex agreements with international corporations.
In addressing some of the challenges, local communities with the support of advisory firms need to:
- Lobby for the consolidation of existing fragmented legal frameworks and for the legal recognition of community equity participation and development corporations
- Establish community technical advisory services with permanent institutional capacity
- Create standardized but flexible benefit sharing frameworks adaptable to different community needs Within the current context of the country’s stark inequality, effective community participation and equitable benefit sharing mechanisms are not merely ethical imperatives but strategic necessities for ensuring the long-term success of NDP 6 and ultimately Vision 2030.
The country’s planning directive requires a paradigm shift from consultation to co-ownership, from benefit sharing to benefit creation, and from community engagement to community empowerment.