Justicia Shipena
The government has approved the second phase of youth-led projects under the National Youth Development Fund (NYDF), allocating N$37.7 million to 66 initiatives across all regions.
The Ministry of Finance says the funding will create 404 jobs in sectors such as agriculture, renewable energy, horticulture, waste management, agroprocessing, green transportation and value-added services.
The approved projects cover all regions and include poultry production, livestock rearing, crop farming, biomass processing, aquaponics, innovative technology services, recycling operations, and renewable energy installations.
Finance Ministry spokesperson Wilson Shikoto said the loan amounts range between N$88,000 and N$1 million, assessed through the Agricultural Bank of Namibia (Agribank) and the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF).
Shikoto said the new approvals reflect the government’s goal to support youth-led enterprises.
“This is the second phase of approved youth projects, and we are pleased to support young Namibians who are taking the lead in building sustainable enterprises,” he said.
“We encourage those who were not selected to continue engaging with our regional offices and to prepare for the next rounds of applications,” he added.
Shikoto stated that a new call for applications is now open, with submissions handled through governors’ offices.
He said applicants are expected to receive confirmation of their status in the first week of December.
Furthermore, Shikoto said the government remains focused on expanding employment opportunities for young people.
“The government remains committed to strengthening job creation across the country,” he said.
The announcement follows the first phase of the fund after it was launched in September by Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare.
During that time 42 projects were approved out of 11 475 applications.
With the new projects approved, the total number of projects under the fund now stands at 108.
Ngurare had said youth-owned businesses financed under the NYDF will receive up to 12 months before repayment begins.
The fund offers start-ups between N$60 000 and N$200 000 at 2% interest, growth-phase enterprises between N$200 000 and N$1 million at 3% interest, and expansion enterprises above N$1 million at 4% interest. Cabinet approved N$257 million for the NYDF in August.
The fund is capitalised at N$500 million, with N$257 million already allocated for 2025/26.
It is implemented through the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN), Agribank and EIF, with NamPost expected to join. It targets youth-driven, scalable projects that support job creation, cooperative business models and local supply chains, and includes a grant option for projects under N$60 000.
