By: Peneyambeko Jonas
Namibia is placing water investment at the centre of its economic development strategy as the country seeks to turn its experience with water scarcity into stronger infrastructure, regional cooperation and international investment.
In an opinion article jointly written by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi and Global Water Partnership Organisation (GWPO) CEO Alex Simalabwi, the two argue that water security is closely linked to Namibia’s ability to grow its economy and withstand climate shocks.
“For Namibia, a drop of water is an ocean,” they wrote, stressing that water determines where communities can grow, how food is produced and whether industries can expand.
Zaamwani-Kamwi has separately said Namibia’s water scarcity is a reality that influences the country’s development decisions, infrastructure investments and diplomacy. According to the minister, water is a foundation for economic growth, resilience and human dignity.
The economic challenge extends beyond Namibia.
According to the African Union, Africa needs an additional US$30 billion a year by 2030 to achieve water security and sustainable sanitation.
The AU says the investment gap is holding back social and economic development across the continent.
Namibia is playing a role in efforts to close that gap. The country is a co-chair of the International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa and has supported the Continental Africa Water Investment Programme, which seeks to mobilise additional financing for water infrastructure.
At the 2025 Africa Water Investment Summit in Cape Town, more than 80 projects from 38 African countries were presented, representing an investment pipeline of more than US$30 billion. The summit identified an initial annual investment pipeline of between US$10 billion and US$12 billion.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking at the summit, said water could become a driver of “economic transformation, innovation and peace.”
For Namibia, the investment agenda includes groundwater development, desalination, water reuse, rural and municipal supply, wastewater treatment and climate-resilient infrastructure.
The government is also using international partnerships to strengthen the country’s position.
GWPO officially established its primary headquarters and legal seat in Windhoek in May 2026, with a second finance and investment headquarters in Cape Town.
The organisation works through a network of more than 2,800 water organisations globally.
Simalabwi said the relocation is intended to bring water investment and decision-making closer to regions facing some of the world’s most urgent water challenges. GWPO has set a 2030 target of influencing US$15 billion in water and climate investments through its 2026–2030 strategy.
The document also points to Namibia’s upcoming Third Namibia Regional Water Symposium in Swakopmund from 13 to 16 October. The meeting is expected to examine desalination, groundwater, water reuse, municipal supply, agriculture, industry, research and community-based water management.
NamWater’s ongoing infrastructure programme shows how water investment translates into physical economic activity.
In July 2026, construction began on the N$219.7 million Naute-Keetmanshoop pipeline replacement project, with the new 36-kilometre pipeline expected to improve supply reliability in //Kharas.
The broader message is that Namibia’s water challenge is becoming an investment question: how to prepare viable projects, attract finance and ensure that money committed to water results in infrastructure and reliable services.
As Zaamwani and Simalabwi argue, the coming phase must move beyond declarations to delivery.
For Namibia, that means turning its growing international role in water diplomacy into projects that support households, agriculture, industry and long-term economic growth.
penny@eaglefm.com.na
