Hee-Dee Walenga
The National Port Authority in Namibia (Namport) has given new life to Namibian football by handing over N$90 million to the Namibian Football Association (NFA) at N$30 million per year for the next three years.
However, the President and Prime Minister of Namibia have called for accountability in terms of management of the funds.
Speaking at the handover ceremony at State House on Thursday morning, the Chairperson of Namport’s board, Jerome Mouton, explained that the sponsorship is part of the N$190m dividend that the State Owned Enterprise (SOE) declared for the year ended 31 March 2026.
“This dividend is the result of every Namport employee, sound financial management and the trust of our customers and stakeholders,” Mouton said.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah noted that the sponsorship is the largest annual sponsorship in the history of Namibian football.
“These contributions reflect sound performance and show how a well-managed public enterprise can create value for the Namibian people,” the President said.
Namport is not new to supporting Namibian football; it has been sponsoring the nation’s second and third division leagues at a tune of N$3.5m per year since 2024, a partnership which has reached over 700 teams per year.
Some of the sponsorships Namibian football has received over the years include Dembarine Namibia’s N$50 million between 2022 and 2025, and FNB Namibia’s N$9.3m three-year sponsorship signed in December 2025. In 2013, MTC announced a three-year N$40 million sponsorship for the Namibian Premier League.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah explained to the NFA that institutions are encouraged to support Namibian sport when they see good governance and financial management.
“That lesson must guide Namibian football. Talent and enthusiasm need the support of credible institutions. Players must be able to rely on properly organised competitions, and sponsors must be able to trust those who administer the game,” the President expressed.
“Every dollar must be accounted for,” she added.
Namibia’s Prime Minister, Elija Ngurare, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, and Namport Chairperson explicitly stated that accountability in terms of management of the funds is at the core of the partnership.
“For colleagues in the NFA, the responsibility is on your shoulders. Meritocracy and accountability are what the President speaks to. We would like to make sure that these funds will be utilised for their intended purpose,” Ngurare said.
Nguarare added that last year, the government gave the NFA N$40 million, which allowed 21,000 Namibians to benefit from the sporting ecosystem, a figure Ngurare said is the equivalent of a quarter of the public workforce.
Mouton echoed the same accountability sentiments.
Saying that “Namport is aware that these are public funds. We commit today that they will be managed with utmost prudence and that every cent will be accounted for.”
Mouton went on to tell the NFA, “We look forward to a strong partnership with you. We are also going to be a demanding partner.
We ask that you meet every reporting obligation, fully and on time, and that the funds reach the players, clubs, refs, coaches, for whom they are intended.
Let us give the nation leagues and comps that we can be proud of.”
As per the latest communication from the NFA, the Premier League is scheduled to kick off on 9 October 2026.
However, at the time of writing, no schedule of fixtures has been released yet.
