NAMIBIA is set to prohibit foreign nationals from owning land under a new legislative proposal aimed at redressing historical land inequalities and ensuring broader access for its citizens. The measure was confirmed on Thursday by Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Minister Ingenesia Inge Zaamwani during a budget presentation to parliament.
Zaamwani told lawmakers the proposed Land Bill will bar foreign nationals from owning land or receiving customary land rights. The bill is part of a broader government strategy to promote land equity, particularly among marginalised groups.
‘The Land Bill aims to enhance and promote equitable access to land, particularly for the landless, farmers in corridors, women, and youth,’ she said.
Although first introduced in March, the bill was delayed due to the close of the parliamentary session. Zaamwani said it will be reintroduced shortly in the new term.
Balancing land distribution
The proposed legislation aligns with long-standing efforts by the Namibian government to dismantle colonial-era land ownership structures, which left vast areas under the control of a minority elite.
Zaamwani noted that the state has already begun acquiring land to redistribute for communal use. In the Khomas Region — which previously had no communal land — several farms have been purchased by the government for this purpose.
‘The onus will be upon us to support the Land Bill in order to ensure that there is balanced land distribution,’ she told MPs.
Foreign ownership under pressure
Should the bill pass, Namibia will join other African nations, such as Zimbabwe and Ethiopia, that have enacted restrictions on foreign land ownership to safeguard domestic interests and empower local populations.
While such policies often attract criticism for potentially deterring foreign investment, they are widely supported by advocates of agrarian reform who argue that foreign land acquisitions often displace communities, fuel speculation, and concentrate land in the hands of a few.
The details of how the law will be enforced and whether any exemptions will apply remain unclear. However, the move signals a decisive shift towards a more protectionist stance on land rights.
Land reform remains a politically sensitive issue in Namibia, where debates over redistribution, ancestral claims, and economic justice continue to dominate national discourse. The government has long pledged to accelerate reforms, and the Land Bill represents a major step toward delivering on that promise.
