Africa-Press – Namibia. THE City of Windhoek has announced that at least N$5.5 billion is required to formalise and upgrade its informal settlements.
“The City of Windhoek recently held its 2024/25 Strategy Review and 2025/26 Budget Planning Session placing housing, land, and service delivery at the heart of the conversation. With Windhoek growing faster than ever, the City, through its Department of Housing, Property Management and Human Settlement led by Mr. Faniel Maanda, is working hard to address one of our city’s most urgent challenges: the rapid expansion of informal settlements and the need for inclusive urban development,” the City of Windhoek explained.
The council revealed that Windhoek is currently home to more than 486,000 residents, of whom over 262,000 live in informal settlements—areas that typically lack essential services, electricity, and legal land tenure. To fully formalise these settlements, the council estimates a minimum requirement of N$5.5 billion.
While acknowledging the significant scale of the challenge, the City of Windhoek expressed optimism about making progress in upgrading informal areas. The council cited previous achievements as evidence of its commitment to the cause.
These accomplishments include the construction of 63 affordable houses under the Council’s housing programme in informal settlements, the signing of more than 7,300 lease agreements to secure land use and access to basic services, and the formalisation of 50% of Groot Aub. The City also noted that servicing projects are currently underway in Havana Extension 8 and Goreangab Extension 4.
Looking ahead to 2025/26 and beyond, the council aims to meet housing needs by constructing 5,000 houses and delivering 5,000 serviced plots annually until 2030. Additionally, the City plans to install 131 high-mast lights to illuminate 36,000 homes—part of a N$65 million project—and to roll out the Universal Access to Electricity Project, which will require an estimated N$550 million.
Further plans include opening roads in Havana and Mix settlements to improve access and mobility, upgrading 80 km of gravel roads in low-income suburbs to bitumen standard, and prioritising development in key areas such as Mix, Groot Aub, and the Havana Extensions. The council highlighted that the Prime Minister has already committed N$500 million towards the servicing of erven.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
