EDITORIAL: Namibia must offer more than peace and sand to attract investors

If Namibia is to keep its head above the choppy waters of the global economy, it needs more than just sunshine and smiles. It needs a hook – something uniquely compelling – to draw the foreign direct investment (FDI) we so desperately need to resuscitate our floundering job market.With unemployment swinging between 37% and 55%, depending on whose numbers you trust – government statisticians or independent analysts – FDI is no longer a luxury; it's a lifeline. Yet, for all the diplomatic charm and ribbon-cutting ceremonies, foreign investors aren’t exactly queuing up at Hosea Kutako with cheque books in hand.Yes, Namibia is beautiful. Yes, it’s peaceful. But so are many of our neighbours – and in the investment game, peace and stability are table stakes, not winning hands. They are expected, not exceptional.What sets us apart? Right now, very little. In the brutal world of investor logic, our economy is a minnow: just 3% the size of South Africa’s, with none of the population mass or industrial depth. The hard truth is that Namibia isn’t top of anyone’s shortlist – unless we make ourselves impossible to ignore.That’s where smart, competitive policy must step in. One of the clearest areas ripe for reform is our corporate tax rate. At 32%, Namibia is pricing itself out of the neighbourhood. Compare that to Angola (25%), Botswana (22%), South Africa (27%), Zambia (30%) and Zimbabwe (25%) – and we begin to look less like a business destination.Why would an investor choose our tiny market when Botswana, equally stable, is offering a 10% lower tax rate? Why not Angola, with its larger population and improving investment climate? Or South Africa, with its superior infrastructure and access?

EDITORIAL: Namibia must offer more than peace and sand to attract investors

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-05

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EDITORIAL: Namibia must offer more than peace and sand to attract investors

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-05

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