Ondangwa: The implementation of Namibia’s electrification project is moving at a snail’s pace, according to Ben Nangombe, the Executive Director of the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Industry. Nangombe said this on Tuesday during an electricity acceleration engagement held in Ondangwa.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Nangombe stated that current connection rates are between 3,000 and 5,000 households annually. To achieve national electrification goals, this rate needs to increase significantly to at least 40,000 households per year. “With every year that we miss that target, the burden in subsequent years grows heavier, and the backlog grows longer. We must also increase our annual spending exponentially, let’s say from between N.dollars 200 million and N.dollars 300 million, to between N.dollars 800 million and N.dollars 1 billion,” he said.
He indicated that the Swapo Party manifesto sets a target to increase electricity access from 59.4 percent to 70 percent by 2030. This requires connecting 160,000 households to the grid and an additional 50,000 through off-grid solutions. Further, Nangombe pointed out Namibia’s commitment to international electrification initiatives, including Mission 300 and the Energy Compact. Through these, African leaders aim to electrify 300 million households on the continent by 2040, with Namibia’s specific targets being the electrification of 200,000 houses by 2030 and 400,000 by 2040.
He noted that the Energy Compact is supported by the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and philanthropic organisations, representing a significant alignment of ambition, technical support, and financing in which Namibia is actively participating. Nangombe then urged a re-evaluation of the current model. “Solar solutions may not be commonplace, but in many cases, they are smarter. More targeted. More economical. The insistence on grid extension must be placed in its proper economical and technical contexts in order to achieve value. Our approach must be technology-neutral, cost-conscious, and demand-driven,” he explained.
He singled out the Electricity Control Board, the regulatory body, noting they have a duty to scrutinise all plans to enable them to prevent waste before it occurs. Therefore, they must apply their resources responsibly.