Governors’ ‘excitement’ blamed for N$257m youth fund confusion
Chris Kaukemua
WindhoekConfusion over the N$257 million National Youth Development Fund (NYDF) has been attributed to regional governors rather than the ministry of finance. The fund, a government initiative, aims to support Namibian youth aged 18 to 35 with entrepreneurship and employment opportunities.The public has criticised the rollout for inconsistencies. A letter sent to regional governors set the deadline for fund applications as 11 August - before the fund’s official public launch - contradicting statements from the ministry of finance and creating uneven application periods across regions.
A source speaking on condition of anonymity said excitement around the programme prompted premature and misleading announcements by governors, giving a false impression of the fund’s structure and limits.
“The error did not come from the ministry of finance. The error came from the governors,” the official said.
“We assumed the governors understood the briefing, but they became too enthusiastic, designing their own invitations and making their own announcements. Those communications were not from the ministry of finance.”
Mother of misunderstanding
At the centre of the misunderstanding was a widely circulated claim that only three projects per region would be funded. Officials have clarified that this was never a permanent restriction but a marketing tool to generate early interest ahead of the fund’s formal launch, which is yet to be officially announced.
“This was never about restricting access,” the source explained.
“It was simply an introduction to the fund, but it went out wrongly.” The source emphasised that governors have no authority to decide who receives funding; their role is limited to forwarding proposals to national funding bodies for assessment.
Once the official launch occurs, youth-led initiatives will be able to apply directly to Agribank or the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) without regional quotas.
“If 100 people in Khomas Region benefit, it is because they are doing the right thing. Where others fall short, we will provide guidance on preparing strong business plans,” the source added.
Due date from ministry
However, a letter from the ministry of finance dated 1 August appears to contradict some of these claims. The letter instructed governors to call for proposals before the official launch, with submissions due by 11 August.
It also stated that the official launch of the NYDF would take place on 18 August - earlier than the September date cited by the anonymous source.
The letter from finance minister Ericah Shafudah directed governors to submit up to three youth project proposals per region. It emphasised youth-driven initiatives for those under 35, highlighted cooperative entrepreneurial models, and required projects to demonstrate sustainability and alignment with national priorities. Selected projects from all regions would be showcased during the launch to demonstrate the readiness of development finance institutions to assess and advance lending to bankable youth enterprises.
Some ahead of others
This timeline indicates that some regions were already accepting applications ahead of the official launch, raising concerns that youth may have been unfairly excluded or rushed into submissions. The letter also noted that the NYDF will be implemented through four government financial institutions: DBN, Agribank, the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF), and NamPost, which will join at a later stage to ensure nationwide access.
The rollout has drawn criticism from Affirmative Reposition (AR) leader Job Shipululo Amupanda. In a letter to Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare, Amupanda highlighted unequal deadlines across regions, the requirement for youth ownership in projects, barriers posed by obtaining environmental clearance certificates, and risks of corruption in the selection process. He recommended halting the current process and restarting with national deadlines, transparent procedures, and clear public accountability to ensure fairness.
Finance ministry spokesperson Wilson Shikoto said the ministry will clarify the matter this week.
WindhoekConfusion over the N$257 million National Youth Development Fund (NYDF) has been attributed to regional governors rather than the ministry of finance. The fund, a government initiative, aims to support Namibian youth aged 18 to 35 with entrepreneurship and employment opportunities.The public has criticised the rollout for inconsistencies. A letter sent to regional governors set the deadline for fund applications as 11 August - before the fund’s official public launch - contradicting statements from the ministry of finance and creating uneven application periods across regions.
A source speaking on condition of anonymity said excitement around the programme prompted premature and misleading announcements by governors, giving a false impression of the fund’s structure and limits.
“The error did not come from the ministry of finance. The error came from the governors,” the official said.
“We assumed the governors understood the briefing, but they became too enthusiastic, designing their own invitations and making their own announcements. Those communications were not from the ministry of finance.”
Mother of misunderstanding
At the centre of the misunderstanding was a widely circulated claim that only three projects per region would be funded. Officials have clarified that this was never a permanent restriction but a marketing tool to generate early interest ahead of the fund’s formal launch, which is yet to be officially announced.
“This was never about restricting access,” the source explained.
“It was simply an introduction to the fund, but it went out wrongly.” The source emphasised that governors have no authority to decide who receives funding; their role is limited to forwarding proposals to national funding bodies for assessment.
Once the official launch occurs, youth-led initiatives will be able to apply directly to Agribank or the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) without regional quotas.
“If 100 people in Khomas Region benefit, it is because they are doing the right thing. Where others fall short, we will provide guidance on preparing strong business plans,” the source added.
Due date from ministry
However, a letter from the ministry of finance dated 1 August appears to contradict some of these claims. The letter instructed governors to call for proposals before the official launch, with submissions due by 11 August.
It also stated that the official launch of the NYDF would take place on 18 August - earlier than the September date cited by the anonymous source.
The letter from finance minister Ericah Shafudah directed governors to submit up to three youth project proposals per region. It emphasised youth-driven initiatives for those under 35, highlighted cooperative entrepreneurial models, and required projects to demonstrate sustainability and alignment with national priorities. Selected projects from all regions would be showcased during the launch to demonstrate the readiness of development finance institutions to assess and advance lending to bankable youth enterprises.
Some ahead of others
This timeline indicates that some regions were already accepting applications ahead of the official launch, raising concerns that youth may have been unfairly excluded or rushed into submissions. The letter also noted that the NYDF will be implemented through four government financial institutions: DBN, Agribank, the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF), and NamPost, which will join at a later stage to ensure nationwide access.
The rollout has drawn criticism from Affirmative Reposition (AR) leader Job Shipululo Amupanda. In a letter to Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare, Amupanda highlighted unequal deadlines across regions, the requirement for youth ownership in projects, barriers posed by obtaining environmental clearance certificates, and risks of corruption in the selection process. He recommended halting the current process and restarting with national deadlines, transparent procedures, and clear public accountability to ensure fairness.
Finance ministry spokesperson Wilson Shikoto said the ministry will clarify the matter this week.
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