In line with its continued commitment to contributing to Namibia’s economic growth, the Namibia Grape Company (NGC) has handed over its first-ever dividend payout of N$10,000,000.00 to its shareholder, the National Youth Service (NYS).
The handover ceremony took place on 10 April 2025 at the Hilton Hotel in Windhoek. In attendance were stakeholders and shareholders of both the Namibia Grape Company and the National Youth Service, who gathered to witness this significant milestone in the history of the partnership. In November 2025, the Namibia Grape Company, which is fully owned by the National Youth Service, officially renewed its partnership agreement with global fruit marketer Capespan.
The agreement, which now runs through 2045, was formalized during an event held at Standard Bank’s Blue Bank Headquarters. This renewal reinforces a successful public-private partnership dedicated to advancing Namibia’s agricultural export industry and promoting socio-economic development. The collaboration has enabled NGC to overcome previous financial difficulties, reach a point of financial stability, and create essential employment opportunities for Namibians, both permanent and seasonal. Looking to the future, NGC and its shareholder, NYS, are focused on expanding their impact and increasing the value generated for the Namibian economy and local enterprises.
Board Chairperson of the Namibia Grape Company, Richwell Lukonga, acknowledged the importance of this milestone “The purpose of the renegotiation was to ensure that NGC fully participates in the business, rather than merely leasing the farm to Capespan. The new Service Agreement establishes a commercial partnership in which NGC holds a 51% interest, while Capespan holds 49%. This arrangement enables NGC to participate proportionally in both operations and profit sharing, thereby maximizing shareholder value and ensuring greater beneficiation for the shareholder
The Service Agreement came into effect in the 2024 financial year. As a result, NGC was able to proportionally contribute to the company’s operations during this production season,” he stated. This dividend marks the first payout to shareholders. Additional shareholders are expected to receive their dividends in due course. Emmerentia Leonard, Chairperson of the Board of the National Youth Service (NYS) was represented by Tobias Nambala Board Member, highlighting the importance of this contribution to the NYS “The Namibia Grape Company was officially handed over to the National Youth Service by the Government in October 2021 as part of a broader strategy to enhance youth participation in productive economic sectors. Today marks a historic milestone, as it is the first time since the handing over, that the Service receives a dividend from its subsidiary. This achievement reflects not only sound management and governance oversight, but also the fruits of a formidable partnership,” she said. She further mentioned that this marks a significant milestone. “For the National Youth Service, this dividend plays a pivotal role in advancing the delivery of its mandate in several meaningful ways. It supports the Service’s goal of producing skilled, employable, and entrepreneurial youth by reinvesting the dividends into increasing youth intake in its programmes and upgrading training facilities. For the first time, NYS will increase the number of recruits to 1,000 youth for its 16th intake, up from the 750 trained in the previous year. Additionally, a portion of this dividend will be allocated to agricultural production to acquire centre pivots to maximise production for self sustainability and contribute towards food security. The agricultural investments will, in turn, create employment, internship opportunities, and Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placements for NYS trainees as well as students from other institutions.
In her closing remarks, Nangula Shailemo, the Deputy Chairperson of the NGC Board extended appreciation and noted that The Namibia Grape Company (NGC) remains dedicated to honouring the strong partnerships it has built over time. as well as fulfilling its financial responsibilities. The first dividend payment of N$10 million to the National Youth Service is the first of many, as NGC plans to continue sharing the benefits of its growth by paying dividends to all its shareholders. This shows NGC’s dedication to transparency, accountability, and creating lasting value for its partners and the Namibian people.