Patience Makwele
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has given state-owned enterprises (SOEs) 24 months to identify strategic investment projects ready for implementation, promising to disrupt government systems where necessary to remove barriers preventing institutions from delivering for Namibians.
The President made the remarks on Thursday during the inaugural Public Enterprises Chief Executive Officers (CEO) Breakfast Dialogue which was held at the Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM), where she challenged public enterprises to move beyond discussions and translate plans into measurable economic outcomes.
“I said that I am going to be a disruptive President. I will disrupt for the sake of the Namibian people. I will disrupt,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She instructed each public enterprise to identify one strategic investment project that can be implemented within the next 24 months, as well as a specific reform that would unlock its ability to contribute to economic growth.
The President further challenged executives to identify laws, policies and regulations that require alignment, while clearly outlining what changes are needed and what constraints require Cabinet or presidential intervention.
“What single reform would unlock your specific public enterprise? What specific reform can really make your public enterprise contribute to the Namibian economy? What is your strategic investment project that is ready for implementation within the next 24 months? I want to know that,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said proposed reforms must demonstrate tangible benefits, including job creation, increased procurement opportunities for Namibian businesses, import substitution and balanced regional development.
“When you implement those reforms, how many direct and indirect jobs are going to be created in your industry? And then, what percentage of your current procurement benefits Namibian businesses, including small and medium enterprises?” she questioned.
The President also expressed concern that what she expected to be a strategic dialogue had been opened to the public, arguing that meaningful discussions require an environment where leaders can openly address challenges.
She questioned whether government and public enterprises were genuinely committed to finding solutions or were merely repeating issues that had been discussed for years.
“We have all these good ideas. Let us go back to our offices and implement these good ideas. Meetings after meetings, conferences after conferences, and workshops after workshops should not be for public presentations. They should be for real planning and implementation,” she said.
CEOs highlight pressure points
The call for action came as public enterprise leaders highlighted financial constraints, ageing infrastructure, skills shortages and governance challenges as some of the major obstacles affecting performance.
Hangala Group founder and businessman Leake Hangala, warned that the effectiveness of state-owned enterprises could be undermined when governance becomes too dependent on the personalities occupying political or executive positions.
Hangala said some interactions between ministers and public enterprise leadership risk becoming contests of authority rather than constructive engagements focused on institutional performance.
He pointed to instances where newly appointed ministers allegedly asserted their authority over public enterprise leaders by reminding them that they were “your minister”, arguing that such approaches could make discussions personal rather than institutional.
“We have very young, dynamic ministers, very good, bright, well educated… But when a chairman goes there, the first thing the minister tells you is, ‘remember I am your minister’. At the beginning, the discussion is not constructive because it becomes personal,” Hangala said.
He argued that Namibia needed institutions capable of functioning effectively regardless of who occupied political office.
“It is important to make sure that we create institutions that do not necessarily depend on personalities. We must think this [through] properly,” he said.
Hangala said there was nothing inherently wrong with returning public enterprises to their respective line ministries, but urged the government to carefully consider how the governance model should work to ensure SOEs can effectively contribute to national development.
The President agreed with the concern, saying Hangala’s argument reinforced the need for the reforms being undertaken through amendments to the Public Enterprises Governance Act.
“The way he put it, it even makes me believe it is necessary to make the reform that we are making,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She questioned the implications of placing all state-owned enterprises under a single minister, particularly where the minister may lack the sector-specific expertise required to oversee diverse institutions.
“If that is really what we are talking about, you better have them where they are. But then overall, they must be guided somewhere. And here we are saying the Office of the Prime Minister,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said SOEs should remain under their respective line ministries for day-to-day programmes, where ministers have a better understanding of the sectors they oversee, while overall coordination should be provided through the Office of the Prime Minister.
“On the day-to-day programmes, they need to be under their line ministers, who even understand what they are talking about,” she said.
Namibia National Reinsurance Corporation (NamibRe) managing director Patty Karuaihe-Martin, said public enterprises must move from dialogue to implementation and improve collaboration.
She suggested that public enterprises could cluster themselves around key National Development Plan 6 (NDP6) priorities, allowing institutions with similar objectives to work together and coordinate resources.
“Enough dialogue. It is time for us to come together and act. We know what needs to be done,” Karuaihe-Martin said.
A survey presented during the engagement by Karuaihe Martins, representing the Public Enterprises CEO Forum, found that 75% of public enterprises considered themselves ready or very ready to support NDP6 implementation.
However, the survey identified limited financial resources as the biggest internal challenge, with 63.3% of respondents citing funding constraints as affecting performance.
Infrastructure challenges
Namibia Ports Authority (NamPort) chief executive officer Andrew Kanime said public enterprises should focus on outcomes rather than simply declaring readiness.
“The public is not interested in whether we are ready. They are interested in real outcomes,” Kanime said.
He said Namport was focusing on expanding and modernising port infrastructure, attracting private capital and strengthening Namibia’s position as a regional logistics hub.
TransNamib chief executive officer Desmond van Jaarsveld highlighted ageing railway infrastructure and rolling stock as major constraints.
He said about 80% of TransNamib’s locomotive fleet is older than 50 years, limiting the company’s ability to meet growing demand.
Van Jaarsveld said replacing infrastructure and acquiring new locomotives were critical to improving freight capacity and supporting economic growth.
NamWater managing director Abraham Nehemia also pointed to ageing infrastructure as a major challenge, saying much of the country’s water infrastructure was inherited from before independence.
He said replacing old pipelines while expanding water access remained essential for supporting industries, communities and economic development.
Meanwhile, Namibia Agronomic Board chief executive officer Fidelis Mwazi called for policy reforms in the agricultural sector, arguing that fragmented laws and regulations were limiting the growth of crop production and agro-processing.
He proposed consolidating agricultural policies under a more coordinated framework to unlock investment and strengthen value chains.
From plans to delivery
Finance minister Erica Shafudah echoed the President’s call for measurable results, saying public enterprises must focus on delivery rather than explanations.
“The time for talking is over and now we need to focus on deliverables, tangible deliverables. What the ordinary Namibian person wants to hear is the number of jobs created, how poverty has been addressed and how we have addressed issues of inequalities,” Shafudah said.
Public enterprises collectively account for a significant part of Namibia’s economy, with executives told that their role remains central to achieving NDP6 objectives.
Public Enterprises CEO Forum chairperson Fluksman Samuehl said restoring public confidence would depend on responsible management, improved efficiency and better service delivery.
“Namibians can only be proud of public enterprises if such institutions are managed responsibly and the business models are designed to improve performance, operational efficiencies, competitiveness and quality service delivery to all citizens,” Samuehl said.
The engagement ended with a clear message from the government: public enterprises must move from commitments to implementation, with reforms measured by the benefits they deliver to ordinary Namibians.
