IPPR says procurement policies are vulnerable to corruption

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has cautioned against the government’s preferential procurement policy unless it is accompanied by greater transparency.

Speaking at the launch of a new report on Wednesday, IPPR research associate Frederico Links said Namibia’s procurement policies are vulnerable to corruption.

“With compliance with transparency and accountability measures under the existing public procurement framework already a huge challenge, the issue of corruption becoming characteristic of preferential procurement is a real threat,” Links said in his report.

In her tabling of the 2026/27 budget, finance minister Ericah Shafudah said the government would be guided by the Code of Good Practice on Preferences.

In this code, local suppliers who fall under certain categories are ‘preferred’ for contracts with public entities. Those categories include: manufacturers, small and medium enterprises, previously disadvantaged persons and women-owned enterprises, among others.

“The issue of preferences speaks to historical marginalisation and we can understand that, but it cannot run indefinitely,” Links said.

According to the IPPR, Namibia needs to collect data on procurements made under the policy of preferences and ensure that the system is not abused.

The issue of preferences in public procurement goes hand-in-hand with issues of ministerial exemptions in procurement and the lack of access to information, Links said.

Although every public enterprise is required to submit annual procurement plans by December of the previous year, those deadlines are rarely met. Of the 176 entities that should have submitted 2026/27 procurement plans, only 15% have submitted to date, and only 5% were submitted on time.

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