The City of Windhoek is implementing a large-scale planning and formalisation process to address the shortage of serviced land as informal settlements continue to grow.
Data from the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) and the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development shows there are 419 informal settlements across 57 local authorities in the country, with 150 located in Windhoek.
A total of 606 435 people, representing 176 708 households, live in informal settlements nationwide. Of these, 213 234 people, or 67 077 households, are in Windhoek.
The municipality said the formalisation process follows statutory town planning, environmental management, land surveying and land registration requirements.
Layout designs for several subdivisions are complete and ready for environmental impact assessment (EIA).
The large-scale planning covers multiple subdivisions with a total of 11 226 proposed erven. The subdivisions are grouped into 21 clusters to manage the environmental process.
The city placed four public notices on 5 March 2026 to inform interested and affected parties of the start of the public participation process. The notices cover four environmental impact assessment groupings across 18 proposed townships, expected to yield about 3 587 erven.
City of Windhoek chief executive officer Moses Matyayi told Observer Money that the cost of the formalisation process has not yet been finalised and outlined the planned scope of the projects.
City of Windhoek chief executive officer Moses Matyayi spoke to Observer Money about how much the project will cost and outlined the planned scope of the projects.
Observer Money (OM): How much will the project cost?
Moses Matyayi (MM): The project is currently in the planning and statutory approval phase; therefore, the total cost has not yet been finalised. The overall investment will be determined after the completion of the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), engineering designs, and service infrastructure planning.
OM: How many houses or people do you think will be accommodated in the new projects?
MM: As stated in the media release issued, the broader large-scale planning initiative has a potential yield of approximately 11 226 erven.
The current phase under environmental impact assessment (EIA) covers 18 proposed townships with an estimated 3 587 erven. These developments are intended to accommodate a significant portion of the approximately 213 234 residents (67 077 households) currently living in informal settlements in Windhoek.
OM: How will the city raise the required money?
MM: The city will consider a combination of funding sources, including internal budget allocations, support from central government, development financing, and potential partnerships with development agencies and the private sector. The specific funding model will be confirmed as the project progresses.
OM: When is the projected completion of the project?
MM: The project will be implemented in phases. The current phase focuses on EIAs and public participation. Once all statutory approvals are obtained from relevant authorities, implementation timelines will be finalised. Given the scale, this is a medium- to long-term development programme.
OM: Anything else to add?MM: This initiative forms part of the city’s strategic efforts to formalise informal settlements and improve living conditions through the provision of essential municipal services such as water, sanitation, electricity, roads, and waste management. The city also encourages public participation to ensure an inclusive and transparent process.
