When Finance Minister Erica Shafudah addressed over 800 delegates and 80 central bank governors at the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) Global Policy Forum in Swakopmund, she did something that deserves recognition: she confronted the uncomfortable truth. Namibia, three decades after independence, remains one of the most unequal societies in the world.
The minister did not hide behind slogans or polished talking points. Instead, she acknowledged that inequality, rooted in colonial dispossession and apartheid exclusion, continues to cast a long shadow over our democracy.
That candor matters. Too often, governments facing stubborn structural problems resort to denial or distraction. Commending the Minister for stating plainly that Namibia shares with South Africa the dubious honor of ranking among the world’s most unequal nations is necessary. It is refreshing to hear our leadership admit that breathtaking natural beauty coexists with stark social and economic divides.
But recognition alone will not suffice. Words, no matter how honest, cannot fill empty stomachs, create jobs, or build schools. What Namibians urgently require are concrete actions and practical reforms to make equality more than an aspiration.
The legacy we cannot escape
Namibia’s inequality is not accidental. It was engineered through decades of laws that excluded the majority from owning land, accessing credit, or participating meaningfully in the economy. Independence in 1990 brought political freedom, but it could not instantly undo entrenched patterns of privilege.
Thirty-five years later, that legacy still defines daily life. A small elite enjoys the benefits of modern Namibia while the majority survive on the margins. According to most estimates, the top 10 percent of Namibians control more than half of the national income. In rural villages, young people without jobs watch as wealth concentrates in urban centers. Women remain overrepresented in informal work and underrepresented in positions of economic power.
Acknowledging these realities, as Minister Shafudah did, is a first step. The challenge is to move from historical explanation to present-day solutions.
Commendable progress, but insufficient
It is not accurate to claim that nothing has been done. Successive Namibian governments have pursued redistribution through social safety nets, pensions for the elderly, grants for vulnerable children, and affirmative action in employment. Public investment in education, health, and infrastructure has improved access to basic services. These efforts have softened the sharpest edges of poverty.
Yet, inequality persists at alarming levels. Why? Because most interventions have focused on alleviation, not transformation. Grants may provide short-term relief, but they do not create sustainable livelihoods. Land reform, long promised, has been slow and often captured by elites. State-owned enterprises have too often failed to deliver jobs while draining public coffers. And despite numerous empowerment charters, ownership and control of key sectors remain heavily skewed.
In short, Namibia has tackled the symptoms without curing the disease.
Moving beyond rhetoric
What, then, are the tangible steps that could begin to bridge Namibia’s inequality gap? Several priorities stand out:
Land Redistribution That Works
Land remains the foundation of wealth creation in Namibia. A credible, transparent, and accelerated land reform program is essential. Redistribution must focus not only on transfer but also on providing new farmers with financing, skills, and market access. Without this support, land reform risks becoming symbolic rather than transformative.
Industrialisation and value addition
Namibia cannot continue exporting raw minerals, beef, and fish while importing finished goods at high prices. Value addition industries, from agro-processing to manufacturing, would create jobs and diversify income streams. Policy must aggressively support local enterprises to climb the value chain.
Access to affordable finance
Inequality is perpetuated when only a select few can access affordable credit. Pension-backed housing loans, mobile banking innovations, and SME financing windows must expand quickly and equitably. Financial inclusion is meaningless if rural women or township entrepreneurs cannot borrow at fair terms to build sustainable businesses.
Reforming Education for Jobs
Education cannot remain a paper chase for certificates. Vocational training, technical colleges, and entrepreneurial programs must align with the real economy. Namibia’s young population deserves more than a cycle of school, unemployment, and disillusionment.
Accountability in Governance
Corruption and elite capture worsen inequality. Every dollar lost to mismanagement is a dollar stolen from classrooms, clinics, and housing projects. If inequality is to be reduced, governance must be strengthened, procurement cleaned up, and accountability enforced at every level.
A shared responsibility
The temptation is to leave this struggle to government alone. That would be a mistake. The private sector must abandon the illusion that inequality is not its concern. Companies thrive when societies are stable, educated, and prosperous. Civil society and trade unions must push not only for redistribution but also for productivity and innovation. Ordinary citizens, too, must hold leaders accountable, demanding more than speeches.
The AFI Forum in Swakopmund reminded Namibia that inequality is not only a local burden. It undermines financial inclusion, depresses domestic markets, and fuels frustration that can destabilize democracies worldwide. In addressing international delegates, Minister Shafudah placed Namibia’s struggle in global perspective. That is important, but the solutions must be homegrown and people-centered.
From promise to proof
Three decades of inequality is three decades too many. Future generations will not judge Namibia by the eloquence of its speeches but by the evidence of its actions. Will rural schools have laboratories? Will townships boast thriving businesses? Will women farmers have title deeds and tractors? Will young graduates find jobs beyond street corners?
These are the questions that matter. Commending the Minister for honesty is justified. Commending the government for not burying its head in the sand is fair. But history will not remember who admitted the problem; it will remember who solved it.
