Windhoek plaza land sale hinges on 30% construction

The City of Windhoek says the Namibia Industrial Development Agency (Nida) must complete at least 30% of construction before it will consider selling land earmarked for the proposed Pantum Namibia Plaza development.The municipality has approved the intention to lease land to Nida for facilities to support the international convention centre, part of a larger development that reportedly includes a 40 000-seat stadium, luxury hotel and commercial properties.“Council approved the intent to lease land to Nida for complementary land uses to support the convention centre,” City of Windhoek CEO Moses Matyayi said in a written response to Namibian Sun this week.He said the lease has not yet been finalised and that Nida will have to comply with certain conditions before it is advertised for objections and subsequent ministerial approval.“Once ministerial approval is obtained and the lease is signed, Nida will have to undertake construction up to 30% before sale is considered,” Matyayi added.The municipality has also not assigned a value to the land, pending Nida's compliance with preliminary conditions.“Due to preliminary issues that should be attended to by Nida, the value was not assigned. Such will be done after meeting set conditions,” Matyayi said.He confirmed receiving a development plan but said responsibility for the feasibility study rested with Nida.“The development plan was submitted as part of the application. The feasibility study is for the developer (Nida),” Matyayi said, adding that an environmental impact assessment is part of the conditions.Talks ongoingThe land arrangements come as Nida continues negotiations with UK-based Pantum Groups Ltd over the project's financing and ownership.Under an earlier proposal, Nida would hold 49% of the convention-centre company, while Pantum and other private investors would control 51%.Nida acting chief executive officer Phillip Namundjebo confirmed recently that a draft development agreement had been prepared, outlining the parties' responsibilities and proposed commercial arrangements.“The status of any agreements formally concluded since August remains subject to confirmation against Nida's internal approval processes,” he said.Shareholding arrangementsNamundjebo said Nida's industrialisation and investment committee had requested a detailed presentation from the investor, which was subsequently delivered.“Pantum remains the private-sector proponent identified in the project documentation currently under consideration. The proposed commercial structure envisages private-sector participation in the development and operating entities, with Nida potentially participating in the ownership of certain operating facilities,” he explained.“The final shareholding arrangements, beneficial ownership particulars and respective capital contributions remain subject to the necessary verification and conclusion of the applicable transaction documents,” Namundjebo said.The agency has yet to confirm its proposed capital contribution, the identities of all investors or the final ownership structure.Big development plansPantum Groups Ltd, a UK-registered company headed by Festus Mansaray, originally proposed the development under the name Pantum Namibia Plaza.Its initial plans included a 5 000-delegate convention centre, a 300-room five-star hotel, 100 luxury serviced apartments and 36 luxury villas, alongside offices, retail facilities, restaurants, a casino, private members' club, spa and gym facilities.A second phase envisaged a football stadium accommodating between 30 000 and 40 000 spectators, training pitches, an African Football Museum, a soccer school and an elite football academy.The City's latest project description increases the proposed hotel capacity to 510 rooms and includes a shopping mall, landscaped public spaces, a linear park and a feature lake.The development is planned for Venus Township, south of the Western Bypass and west of Prosperita Industrial Township.Pantum identified Indian construction and engineering conglomerate Shapoorji Pallonji as the proposed design-and-build contractor, Marriott as the hotel operator and Manchester City Football Club as a proposed football partner.However, there is no confirmation that binding agreements have been concluded with these organisations.In a letter dated 13 November 2025, Namundjebo communicated Nida's willingness to collaborate with Pantum through a joint-venture arrangement.The developer proposed securing project land through a commercial lease rather than receiving it at no cost.Namundjebo said Pantum envisaged a 54-month implementation period, although the project remains at the preparatory stage.

Windhoek plaza land sale hinges on 30% construction

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Namibian Sun 2026-11-03

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Windhoek plaza land sale hinges on 30% construction

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Namibian Sun 2026-11-03

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