Namibia seeks N$570m to unlock multibillion-dollar climate plan

Namibia is seeking US$32.2 million (about N$570 million) in concessional climate funding from the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) to unlock a broader US$259.5 million (about N$4.6 billion) climate investment programme.

The bulk of funding will be directed towards agriculture, water systems and ecosystem restoration under the Nature, People and Climate (NPC) Investment Plan.

The plan outlines a total investment of US$432.8 million (about N$7.66 billion), with US$262.1 million (about N$4.64 billion) allocated to agriculture and food security, US$89.3 million (about N$1.58 billion) to water infrastructure, and US$81.4 million (about N$1.44 billion) to ecosystem restoration.

The CIF is a multilateral mechanism that provides concessional finance to developing countries through development banks.

The funding request is contained in Namibia’s official NPC Investment Plan submitted by government through the environment ministry to the CIF's strategic climate fund committee, which reviewed the plan as part of a global financing window.

The plan was endorsed by the CIF committee on 10 December 2025 in Washington, DC.

The committee welcomed the plan as a basis for project development, but said funding approvals remain dependent on available resources. It requested that Namibia return with detailed proposals once sufficient financing is secured to begin implementation.

Finalised in November 2025 after consultations with government, development partners and stakeholders, the plan is presented on behalf of multiple ministries and national institutions. The Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia is expected to play a central coordinating role in implementation, alongside sector ministries responsible for agriculture, water and economic development.

Implementation is expected to start this year, with projects rolled out in phases over a multi-year period as financing agreements are concluded.

Food imports

At its core, the investment plan is designed to address structural weaknesses in Namibia’s economy, particularly high rural poverty, low agricultural productivity, climate vulnerability and heavy reliance on food imports.

These challenges have been compounded by recurring droughts, land degradation and rising pressure on natural resources, which continue to limit economic participation and income generation in rural areas.

Namibia’s growing dependence on food imports is a key vulnerability, with the submission noting that domestic production has struggled to keep pace with demand due to erratic rainfall and limited irrigation capacity.

Strengthening local production systems is described not only as a climate response but also as a critical economic intervention aimed at reducing reliance on imports and stabilising rural incomes.

The dominance of agriculture in the funding allocation reflects its central role in the economy.

As the largest employer and the sector most exposed to climate shocks, agriculture has been prioritised for investment in climate-smart farming, irrigation, value chain development and market access.

The scale of funding – more than N$4.6 billion – underscores government’s view that long-term job creation and food security will largely depend on strengthening land-based livelihoods.

Private sector partnerships form a key pillar of the strategy.

Funding approach

The N$570 million being sought is not intended as direct project funding, but as catalytic capital to be channelled through multilateral development banks, including the African Development Bank, the World Bank, and the International Finance Corporation.

These institutions will structure financing through a combination of loans, grants and private investment, creating a broader pipeline of projects across the economy.

This means the full impact of the investment plan will depend not only on securing the initial concessional funding but also on Namibia’s ability to mobilise additional capital and execute projects efficiently over time.

This approach places Namibia within a competitive global funding mechanism, where investment plans are assessed and supported based on their ability to deliver climate resilience, economic growth and inclusive development outcomes.