N$357.8m land deal to unlock 6 000 erven, Khomas faces N$11.7bn infrastructure gap
A N$357.8 million land-for-debt swap between the City of Windhoek and central government is set to unlock more than 6 000 residential plots, offering a critical breakthrough in Khomas Region’s deepening housing crisis, even as an estimated N$11.72 billion infrastructure gap looms.
Khomas Region Governor Sam Nujoma, during the State of the Region Address, said the agreement, which converts municipal liabilities into 423 hectares of land, marks a turning point in efforts to expand access to serviced land and housing. “This initiative unlocks over 6 000 erven for housing and national projects, restores the City’s borrowing capacity, and strengthens service delivery,” he said.
In Windhoek Rural, communities such as Dordabis continue to face limited land availability and inadequate basic services, while the /Khomanin Traditional Community’s demand for communal land remains largely unresolved beyond the acquisition of Farm Groot Korasieplaats for N$33.8 million.
Nujoma called for urgent action to address congestion and land allocation challenges. “We call on the Traditional Authority to devise a decongestion plan… even as we continue to advocate for the acquisition of additional farms,” he said.
He also pointed to delays in appointing the Communal Land Board, a statutory body critical for land allocation and tenure security, warning that unresolved land disputes persist across constituencies.
Efforts to formalise informal settlements have similarly been slowed. Although N$750 million was pledged for the upgrading and formalisation programme, implementation has been delayed due to inter-governmental coordination challenges between the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and the City of Windhoek.
Despite this, the City has made progress in planning and service delivery. Layout designs for 11 226 erven across 18 townships have been completed, with N$296.4 million earmarked for land servicing and housing delivery in the 2026/27 financial year. Target areas include Cimbebasia, Otjomuise, Rocky Crest, Havana, Goreangab, and Okahandja Park.
In informal settlements, 194 communal toilets and 227 water points have been constructed, increasing sanitation coverage by 16 percent and water access by 22 percent.
The Khomas Regional Council has further invested N$3 million in rural water infrastructure, including borehole drilling and rehabilitation across eleven sites. However, long-term infrastructure demands remain substantial. The City’s Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Master Plan, approved in 2025, requires N$11.72 billion over 20 years.
Key projects include upgrades to the Gammams Wastewater Treatment Plant and a new Direct Potable Reclamation Plant, while the N$180 million Havana Wastewater Treatment Plant is expected to go to tender by mid-2026.
In a sign of growing economic activity, building plan approvals surged by 47 percent year-on-year to N$2.89 billion in 2024/25. Housing delivery programmes are also under way, with 304 units currently being constructed under the Mass Housing Development Programme, alongside initiatives by the Build Together Programme and the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia.
The National Housing Enterprise delivered just two housing units in the past financial year but plans to invest N$82 million in 2026/27 to construct 73 new units and service 380 erven.
Despite these efforts, significant barriers persist, including high land costs, expensive servicing, limited funding, and lengthy township establishment and procurement processes. On basic services, electrification efforts are advancing under a N$30 million programme targeting informal settlements such as Okatunda, Okuryangava, Mix Settlement, and Groot Aub. So far, 485 household connections have been completed, with additional network expansion planned from April 2026.
Transport infrastructure is also under pressure in a region that accounts for 42 percent of Namibia’s vehicle population. Major road projects are under way or nearing completion, including the N$1 billion Windhoek–Okahandja dual carriageway upgrade, which created approximately 379 jobs.
Other projects include the Western Bypass (valued at N$400 million), the Windhoek–Hosea Kutako International Airport road, and the Windhoek–Rehoboth dual carriageway, now 92 percent complete. For the 2026/27 financial year, further investments include a N$29 million NaTIS office in Wanaheda, N$200 million for the Mandume–Sam Nujoma road link, and over N$78 million for road maintenance across the region.
However, rapid urbanisation continues to strain mobility systems. Approximately 16 000 vehicles enter Windhoek daily from the north and 4 500 from the south, contributing to a total of nearly 420 000 registered vehicles in a city of about 500 000 residents.
Nujoma warned that the current trajectory is unsustainable. “This reflects an unsustainable, car-dependent mobility model that requires proactive and decisive investment in alternative forms of public transportation,” he said.
As Khomas grapples with rising demand for land, housing, and services, the success of large-scale interventions such as the land swap agreement and infrastructure investments will be critical in determining whether the region can keep pace with its rapid growth.
