People First, Profits Second: A Blueprint for Namibia's Mixed Economy with Soul and Body

Namibia’s economy is neither unrestrained capitalism nor complete state control. Our nation has deliberately chosen a mixed economy as its constitutional model, enshrined in Article 98 of the Namibian Constitution.

The primary purpose of a mixed economy should be to serve the people by improving their quality of life while promoting sustainable economic growth, social justice, and shared prosperity.

Article 95 reinforces this constitutional vision by setting out the principles of state policy. It requires the State to actively promote the welfare of the people through policies that maintain acceptable living standards, reduce income inequalities, ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, create employment opportunities, and provide equal opportunities for all Namibians. These are not merely political promises or ideological preferences.

They are constitutional principles that should guide government policy, national budgets, and economic decision-making.

At the heart of these constitutional principles lies a simple yet profound conviction: people first, profits second.

This principle recognises that the economy exists to serve human beings. An economy must help ensure food on the table, a roof over one’s head, dignity in employment, access to education and healthcare, and hope for tomorrow. In short, to secure that life is liveable. 

Pope Leo XIV has echoed this vision in his reflections on the economy and human dignity, calling for an economy that serves the human person, promotes the common good, and ensures economic activity is not driven solely by profit.

He has emphasised solidarity, ethical leadership, and the responsibility of political and economic institutions to work for the common good. This message resonates strongly with Namibia’s constitutional commitment to place people's wellbeing at the centre of national development.

Namibia’s constitutional vision reflects these same moral principles. Articles 95 and 98 provide an important framework for an economic order in which development must ultimately serve society's welfare. Human beings are not created merely to survive but to flourish—to enjoy meaningful work, decent housing, quality education, accessible healthcare, safe communities, and loving relationships.

We are also called to share life’s blessings and to build communities characterised by compassion, solidarity, dignity, and justice.

The success of an economy should therefore be measured not only by the size of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the value of its exports, or the profitability of corporations, but primarily by the wellbeing of its people. An economy that generates enormous wealth while large numbers of citizens remain trapped in poverty, unemployment, inadequate housing, and hopelessness cannot truly be regarded as successful, regardless of how impressive its financial statistics may appear.

When this principle is forgotten, profit gradually becomes the master while people are reduced to instruments of production. Workers become numbers on spreadsheets.

Privileged minority

Communities become obstacles to investment. Natural resources become objects of exploitation rather than gifts entrusted to responsible stewardship. Economic growth then benefits only a privileged minority while the majority continue to experience hardship, inequality, and persistent poverty.

History repeatedly demonstrates the consequences of placing profit above people. Excessive greed can breed corruption. Corruption weakens public institutions. Inequality widens the gap between the rich and the poor. Despair can fuel crime, violence, social unrest, and instability. Public confidence in democratic institutions declines when citizens lose trust that the economic and political system serves their interests. Ultimately, societies that elevate profit above human dignity undermine the foundations of lasting prosperity.

Conversely, when people come first, profit itself can become healthier and more sustainable. Businesses flourish when they operate within stable societies where citizens are educated, healthy, employed, and able to participate meaningfully in the economy. Investors are attracted not only by natural resources but also by peace, security, reliable institutions, sound governance, infrastructure, and a skilled workforce. Economic growth can then become inclusive rather than exclusive.

Namibia stands at a defining moment in its history. The discovery and development of oil and gas, together with our abundant mineral resources, agricultural potential, fisheries, tourism, and renewable-energy capacity, present significant opportunities for national transformation.

Yet these opportunities can become either a blessing or a curse, depending on whether constitutional principles, transparency, accountability, and the common good govern them—or unchecked greed and narrow private interests.

Our natural resources must therefore be managed transparently, responsibly, and for the benefit of present and future generations. Revenues from these resources should contribute meaningfully to transforming education, healthcare, infrastructure, housing, employment opportunities, and social protection. Namibia must avoid the resource curse in which abundant natural wealth coexists with poverty, inequality, corruption, and economic exclusion.

This is why the constitutional principle of people first; profits second must remain the moral compass of Namibia’s economic future. It also resonates deeply with the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which teaches that “a person is a person through other persons.”

Human flourishing is never purely individual; it is fundamentally communal. True prosperity cannot be measured by the wealth accumulated by a privileged few. It must be reflected in the wellbeing and dignity of the whole community.

Courageous leadership

Namibia therefore needs a mixed economy with both a body and a soul. The body consists of investment, entrepreneurship, production, innovation, infrastructure, trade, and economic growth. These are essential for creating wealth, employment, and opportunities.

The soul, however, consists of justice, compassion, equality, solidarity, human dignity, responsible stewardship, and an unwavering commitment to place people before profits.

An economy without a body cannot create wealth. But an economy without a soul can ultimately destroy the very humanity it exists to serve.

This vision does not mean rejecting profit, private enterprise, investment, or entrepreneurship. Profit is necessary for businesses to survive, innovate, employ people, and invest for the future.

The question is not whether profit is legitimate. It is whether profit is the ultimate purpose of the economy or a means toward the flourishing of human beings and society.

A healthy mixed economy therefore requires a partnership between the public and private sectors, guided by strong institutions, ethical leadership, responsible business practices, and social accountability. Government must create a fair regulatory environment and ensure that economic opportunities are broadly accessible. The private sector must recognise that its responsibilities extend beyond shareholders to workers, communities, consumers, the environment, and the nation as a whole.

Namibia must also confront the reality of economic inequality. Political independence in 1990 was a historic achievement, but political freedom must be accompanied by economic opportunity and social justice. A nation cannot claim to have achieved the full promise of independence when many of its citizens remain without decent housing, meaningful employment, adequate income, quality education, or access to essential services. At the same time, a small minority accumulates extraordinary wealth.

The challenge before us is therefore not simply to grow the Namibian economy, but to transform it so growth becomes inclusive and its benefits are shared more equitably. This requires courageous leadership, responsible investment, progressive economic policies, support for small and emerging businesses, investment in education and skills, effective social protection, and transparent management of the country’s natural resources.

If we remain faithful to this constitutional and moral vision, Namibia can become a nation where economic success is measured not by the wealth of a few but by the wellbeing of all. In doing so, we honour both the letter and the spirit of our Constitution and move closer to building a country in which every citizen has the opportunity to live a life of dignity, hope, security, and shared prosperity.

For ultimately, when we put people first, profits can follow in ways that are just, sustainable, and beneficial to all. But when we put profits first, we risk losing not only our moral compass but also the very humanity that gives meaning to economic progress.

Namibia’s economic future must therefore have both soul and body: the body to generate wealth and the soul to ensure that this wealth serves the people.