Film studio assessment stalls on missing study

The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board says it cannot complete the due diligence on a proposed US$300 million film studio development in Swakopmund because the developer has not given it the documents it asked for.

"As part of this process, NIPDB required the project developers to provide the necessary supporting documentation, including a feasibility study and business proposal, to enable the assessment to proceed," the board said in a written response. "These documents are still outstanding, and as a result, the due diligence process cannot be completed."

The response was issued to Network Media Hub by Catherine Shipushu, acting executive for competitiveness and branding. She said the board is not responsible for the allocation of land, which remains with the relevant authorities.

Executive producer Guy Nockels confirmed that he had not submitted the feasibility study, and that he chose not to.

"We did submit the business proposal with our original submission and decided not to submit the feasibility study until we know what we are going to do," he said.

The board says both documents are outstanding. Nockels says the business proposal was filed with the original application.

Nockels has said throughout that he cannot complete a feasibility study without knowing how much land he will get and what it will cost.

"They asked for a feasibility study and I said, I've got one ready, but I don't know how big the piece of land is and what you're going to charge me," he said in July.

The municipality says the price follows a deposit. Its letter of 21 July 2026 asked Nockels to confirm 20 hectares as his minimum, down from the 115 hectares applied for, and said a valuation would be requested once he pays N$100 000. It says the transaction can proceed once he confirms the land size and pays that deposit.

Nockels disputes the figure.

"We never accepted 20ha as the last letter is the first time the size was mentioned," he said.

The applicant is Desert Dunes Film Studios Namibia (Pty) Ltd. The municipality says it formally referred the application to the board on 17 June 2025, and Council resolved on 2 October 2025 that once the assessment was received, the item would be submitted to Council to consider the allocation in principle, subject to proof of financing, viability and environmental requirements.

More than a year later, the assessment has not been done.

The municipality issued a media release to all media on 22 September, after this publication reported on the application, saying context had been omitted and that it does not discourage investment.

"Swakopmund remains open for business and welcomes both local and foreign investment," it said.

The release set out a chronology that had not previously been made public. It records that the initial application was received on 9 January 2024, almost two years and nine months ago. It records that the applicant was asked in June 2024 to complete an investor proposal checklist by 12 August, that he requested more time on 25 July 2024, that an extension to 11 December was granted, and that he submitted 23 documents on 5 December 2024. On 22 April 2025 he confirmed he intended to acquire the full 115 hectares.

The investment coordination committee recorded in March 2025 that no proof of financing had been provided, and Council recorded the same on 2 October 2025.

Public relations officer Linda Mupupa said the N$100 000 deposit is a flat amount applying to all major investors.

Asked whether this was the same company that had applied for land in Walvis Bay, Mupupa said it was, and that the project never took off. Asked whether that application was relevant to the current assessment, she said: "Not at all, the applicant was provided a fair and transparent opportunity to present his case."

The project, held by two Canadian companies and a Namibian trust, is for four studios, a film school and post-production and animation facilities. Nockels says construction would employ 300 to 400 people, and has said the company is considering moving it to Botswana.