Namibia: Needs trump population in funding

Namibia's regional development budget follows infrastructure needs and project readiness rather than population size, the National Planning Commission (NPC) has said.

NPC Executive Director I-Ben Nashandi explained that planning addresses service gaps identified by regional councils, such as schools, hospitals, water and electricity. Proposals go through line ministries for assessment before reaching the NPC.

“Development follows needs, not numbers,” Nashandi said.

He warned that population-based allocation risks duplication and inefficiency.

“You cannot just allocate because there are more people in one region and then build infrastructure where it is not needed,” he said. “Even if there are more people, you cannot just say you will give more money there and build a hospital where it is not required.”

Planning process 

Nashandi outlined the process, that regional councils identify gaps and submit via line ministries, which screen for duplication or existing coverage.

“The regional budget does not even get submitted to the NPC directly. It goes to the line ministry first,” he said. “They are the ones who assess before they submit to the NPC. “Development is not like you take each region and divide it by the number of people, that is not how development works,” he added. 

Regional councils pinpoint specific shortages, he said. 

“Regional councils would identify the lack of hospital here, the lack of school there, the lack of water there. You do not go and build more schools where schools already exist. Where hospitals already exist, you do not duplicate them.”

According to Nashandi, the clarification addresses public concerns that less populated regions get disproportionate funds, comments echoed by Kavango West Governor Verna Sinimbo, saying budgets should better match data.

“I am not convinced that the current budgets fully respond to the needs shown by data,” she said.

Effects of fiscal consolidation

Nashandi cited tight finances, with the 2026/27 development budget cut 24% to N$6.5 billion from N$8.7 billion.

“The reality is that we do not have enough resources to do everything at once. You allocate money and then it gets unutilised because you have allocated more than what the project phase requires.”

Nashandi explained that approvals demand feasibility and costing. 

“We look at the face of the project. It must be costed and there must be a feasibility study. All projects must be properly justified before funding is approved. Some regions will have more money in agriculture, like green schemes because they are close to water. Others will have school gardens or backyard gardens.”

Windhoek would get fewer projects as infrastructure exists. 

“Windhoek probably has got the least capital projects because the infrastructure here is already there. That is where you start developing.”