Parliament urges speed in Namibia’s rail and port upgrades

The parliamentary standing committee on economy and industry, public administration and P
planning has called for priority to be placed on expediting the railway master plan and fast-tracking critical rail upgrade projects, including the Kranzberg-Otjiwarongo line, Windhoek-Gobabis route and the Trans-Zambezi rail extension.

Committee chairperson Iipumbu Shiimi said the Ministry of Works and Transport, the National Planning Commission (NPC) and TransNamib must collaborate to restore and modernise Namibia’s ageing railway network to improve safety and reliability and support economic growth.

“The Ministry of Works and Transport should collaborate with the NPC, the Ministry of Finance and TransNamib Limited to restore and modernise the ageing rail infrastructure in the country, which is essential for economic growth and for Namibia to be a transport hub. The Windhoek-Gobabis and southern railway routes should be reactivated and upgraded. The Trans-Zambezi rail extension project should also commence without delay,” Shiimi said.

He said the upgrades are vital to strengthening Namibia’s transport and logistics network, positioning the country as a regional trade hub and enhancing competitiveness under the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6).

The committee has also called for a review of the rail regulatory framework to align it with the road sector and for a more balanced allocation of resources between road and rail infrastructure.

Shiimi said this would ensure integrated planning and sustainable long-term investment in transport.

At the same time, the committee urged government to continue expanding the Walvis Bay and Lüderitz ports, which play a central role in regional trade. Shiimi said addressing land shortages at Lüderitz is a priority to support urban expansion and attract new economic investment linked to port growth.

“The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, in consultation with the NPC and Lüderitz Town Council, must address the constraints of insufficient land for urban expansion and the transformation of Lüderitz, which are needed for infrastructure development due to new investment opportunities,” he said.

Shiimi said the committee views these infrastructure projects as critical to unlocking Namibia’s full potential as a strategic gateway for southern African trade and industrial development.

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