Africa-Press – Namibia.
A new dawn is rising for thousands of Namibians previously excluded from the formal housing market due to unemployment or lack of payslips.
The National Housing Enterprise (NHE), through its Informal Settlement Upgrading Programme (ISUP), is now making it possible for those without formal jobs – but who own a shack or plot, to qualify for a decent home.
At an outreach event held at Omashaka New Reception and Ondiiyara Ext 25 in Ondangwa,
the NHE delivered a powerful message of inclusivity – that homeownership is no longer just for the formally employed.
The programme targets those in the low-income bracket, especially individuals earning as little as N$5 000 per month or less.
It offers an affordable, scalable housing solution with flexible qualification requirements.
Speaking at the gathering, NHE senior sales consultant Vilho Shindinge reaffirmed the organisation’s mandate under the National Housing Enterprise Act (Act 5 of 1993), which is to finance and provide housing for Namibians in need.
The NHE’s broader vision is to become a leading agent in delivering safe, adequate and affordable housing, contributing to Namibia’s socio-economic development and transforming informal settlements into formal communities.
One of the most significant breakthroughs of the ISUP initiative is that a payslip is no longer a barrier to applying.
Self-employed individuals or those without formal jobs can now use bank statements (12 months), plot ownership papers and a police certificate confirming they do not already own a house, to support their application. “This is a big opportunity for someone who owns a shack or a piece of land but doesn’t have a job or payslip. They can still apply as long as they meet the other criteria,” explained Basilia Iikololo, NHE’s northern sales consultant.
She said, under ISUP, four modular house types are being offered to suit various household sizes and income levels.
A bachelor unit (19.2 m2) includes a toilet, bathroom, kitchen/living room and veranda.
It is priced at N$103 600, with an estimated monthly repayment of N$509 over 20 years.
One-bedroom unit (30.1 m2), with a kitchen, living area, and ablution facilities costs N$171 210, with monthly repayments of N$749. A two-bedroom unit (42.7 m2), suitable for small families, is priced at N$234 930, repaid at N$1 030 per month.
A three-bedroom unit (53.6 m2), the largest option, costing N$291 910, has a monthly repayment of N$1 274.
All homes are built with the future in mind.
They are designed to allow for extensions as the homeowner’s financial situation improves.
To apply, residents need to submit a certified copy of their ID, a payslip or bank statements (four months for those who are employed, 12 for those who are self-employed/unemployed), a police declaration that they do not already own a house, an income tax certificate from NamRa and plot ownership documents.
So far, ISUP has delivered tangible results across the country.
In Windhoek, over 740 homes have already been handed over to former shack dwellers.
In Swakopmund’s DRC informal settlement, more than 800 plots are earmarked for development, continuing the transformation of informal areas into serviced, dignified neighbourhoods.
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