Bill blocking foreign land ownership back on the table

The land bill, which prohibits foreign nationals from owning land in Namibia or being allocated customary land rights, will be reintroduced in parliament this financial year. Land reform minister Inge Zaamwani said this during her budget motivation in parliament last week.The minister said one of the transformational reforms undertaken during the 2024/2025 financial year was the introduction of the land bill on 13 March after the Cabinet committee on legislation approved it. “However, the land bill was introduced towards the end of the 7th parliament, and hence it could not be discussed as planned because the term of the 7th parliament came to an end,” she said.Zaamwani said the bill aims to enhance and promote equitable access to land, particularly for the landless, farmers in corridors, women and youth. “Additionally, the bill prohibits foreign nationals from owning land or being allocated customary land rights. "The onus will be upon us to support the bill to ensure balanced land distribution,” she said. Funding constraintsZaamwani said that for the 2025/2026 financial year, N$323 million has been allocated to the Land Reform and Resettlement Programme. She said that funding constraints, market price considerations and the high number of farm offer withdrawals limited the scale and speed of land acquisitions under the Land Reform and Resettlement Programme for the 2024/2025 financial year. She also said during the 2024/2025 financial year, the government acquired eight farms with a combined size of about 30 097 hectares for more than N$86.9 million. Zaamwani added that two farms with a combined size of 11 026 hectares were also acquired for N$28 million to resettle generational workers. The government also bought another farm measuring 166 hectares around the Neckartal Dam at N$127 985 for irrigation purposes.The minister said the land acquisition was part of broader efforts related to the Neckartal Dam Irrigation Project. Historic milestoneThe minister said two commercial farms totalling 8 132 hectares were acquired in the Khomas Region at N$33.8 million and converted into communal land.“This marked a historic milestone, as Khomas was previously the only region in Namibia without communal land,” she said. Moreover, on 9 December last year, the newly established communal area was officially handed over to the Khomanin Traditional Authority for administration. The land will be used for allocating land rights and grazing rights, establishing commonage for livestock, and enabling the Khomanin community to utilise the land for food production, income generation, and the preservation of cultural practices and traditions.Communal expansion initiativeZaamwani said the ministry acquired farms totalling 31 056 hectares for N$66.9 million as part of the communal land expansion initiative. “This strategic acquisition aims to increase land availability for traditional communities to alleviate grazing pressure on existing communal areas and enhance agricultural productivity, among other socio-economic benefits.”According to her, the Otjimbingwe communal area has been expanded by 15 160 hectares, the Ovitoto communal area by 9 128 hectares, and the Aminius communal area by 6 767 hectares.“This significant development is aimed at improving community access to land, enhancing agricultural production, and releasing grazing pressure on existing range lands.”A total of 6 beneficiaries were resettled, and 7 396 Communal Land Right registrations were ratified by Communal Land Boards nationwide.Zaamwani said that continuous registration of communal land rights is critical in strengthening land tenure security in communal areas.

Bill blocking foreign land ownership back on the table

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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Bill blocking foreign land ownership back on the table

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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