Indongo's children demand support from billionaire dad's trust

The dozens of children of Namibian billionaire Frans Aupa Indongo are demanding the removal of Frans Indongo Trust chairperson Dr Salomo Amadhila, accusing him of failing to ensure they receive the assistance they claim was promised to them.

Trustees, however, have said the children's requests fall outside the trust's governing framework and that none of the children are directly listed as beneficiaries of the trust.

The children, meanwhile, say they believe they are entitled to benefit from the trust.

Indongo (90) is the founder and chairman of the Frans Indongo Group, one of Namibia’s largest privately held conglomerates with a diversified portfolio spanning retail, real estate, automotive, and agriculture. He is worth an estimated N$2.5 billion.

Documents seen by Namibian Sun show that a committee representing his children has raised concerns over the management of the trust and what it describes as the trustees’ alleged unwillingness to engage family members on issues affecting them.

The committee said it represents 48 of Indongo's children and comprises Engelbert 'Katenda' Indongo, Ebba Indongo, Dr Frans Junior Enkono Indongo, Dr Frans King Indongo, Dr Iipumbu Indongo, Festus Indongo and Gerhard Indongo.

According to the committee, a meeting involving the founder’s children and trustees was held in Oshakati on 15 August 2020, with children living outside Namibia participating virtually.

During that meeting, the committee said the parties agreed to hold three meetings annually, while transport would be arranged for committee members travelling to Windhoek for engagements with the trustees.

The committee said beneficiaries were asked to complete questionnaires detailing their personal circumstances. Based on the information collected, they claim they were informed that financial assistance would be considered for those seeking to expand businesses, unemployed beneficiaries would be assisted in finding employment and the founder’s grandchildren would be considered for scholarships.

Family members told this publication that several beneficiaries later submitted quotations to expand businesses, including supermarkets, construction companies and poultry farming ventures, while others sought financial relief for struggling enterprises.

“They told us we should obtain quotations so that we could receive money to buy equipment, including trucks, for our businesses,” a family member told Namibian Sun.

“They proposed that if someone had a chicken farm, they would provide additional funding to help expand it by purchasing more poultry equipment and materials,” the individual alleged.

They submitted the requested quotations but have since received no feedback from the trustees, they claim.

“Those with businesses submitted quotations, but nothing has happened. We reached a deadlock.”

A family member added: “We don't just want financial and medical support, in fact we want him (Amadhila) removed because he has not fulfilled his promises.”

Trust issues

The committee also alleges that some beneficiaries have been denied medical assistance despite believing the trust should provide support in such circumstances.

“How can someone need medical help when our father’s fund exists but there is no assistance?” one family member asked.

The children further claimed that family members had previously been informed that Dr Frans Junior Enkono Indongo would be notified whenever a beneficiary became ill so that appropriate assistance could be considered.

The dispute has also exposed growing tensions between the founder’s children and the trust’s leadership, with the committee accusing trustees of failing to engage beneficiaries despite repeated requests for meetings.

According to documents seen by Namibian Sun, the committee requested meetings with the trustees on 17 June and 19 September 2024 but said the engagements failed to resolve their concerns.

The committee further alleges there has been no formal meeting between the trust and the founder’s children for several years and accuses Amadhila of declining meeting requests without valid reasons.

Trust responds

However, the Frans Indongo Trust disputes those claims.

In correspondence dated 24 January 2025, addressed to the Founder’s Children’s Committee, the trust acknowledged receiving a request for a meeting but said trustees had resolved in October 2024 to limit engagements with the committee to two meetings annually, one in June and another in November.

The trust said meetings had become excessive following the establishment of the children’s committee and that urgent matters requiring trustees’ attention would instead be dealt with through appropriate communication channels.

Trustees also advised that finalising the trust’s policy framework remained a priority and that consultations with relevant stakeholders were ongoing.

In separate correspondence dated 9 May 2025, the trust considered a request for financial assistance for the late Simeon Indongo, who was reported to be in poor health at the time.

While noting that the trust deed and its corporate social responsibility policy do not provide for the payment of private medical expenses for individuals other than the founder, the trustees nevertheless approved a once-off payment of N$13 140 to assist Indongo because of what they described as his “precarious health condition”.

Sole beneficiary

Responding to questions from this publication, Amadhila said the trust had received a “few requests” for financial assistance from some of the children but said the applications were neither structured nor standardised.

“The idea was to focus on micro and medium enterprises. However, the requests were not formally presented and discussed,” he said.

He stressed that the trust’s sole beneficiary is Dr Frans ‘Aupa’ Indongo, underlining that “the children are not listed as beneficiaries”.

On allegations that trustees had refused to meet with the founder’s children, Amadhila said reasons for suspending the meetings had been communicated to the committee through formal correspondence.

Amadhila also disputed claims that the trust had paid Simeon Indongo’s medical expenses.

He said the late Simeon Indongo, who had been admitted to a state health facility, received financial assistance under the trust’s corporate social responsibility policy to help cover daily living expenses rather than medical costs.

Amadhila added that the trust “has a robust governance framework” and is administered strictly in accordance with the trust deed “for the sole beneficiary”, Dr Frans Aupa Indongo.