The Minister of Works and Transport, Hon. Veikko Nekundi, the Governor of the Ohangwena Region, Hon. Kadiva Hamutumwa, together with representatives of the German project partners, Roads Authority Management and members of the benefiting communities, celebrated the official opening of the district road D4119 from Omulondo to Oshuuli in the Ohangwena Region on the 24th of April, 2026.

The newly completed road was made possible through the Namibian - German Development Cooperation. The road has a total length of 23 km and will significantly improve connectivity and access to essential services for the communities. An area which formerly consisted of deep-sandy tracks can now be serviced by an all-year round open road. It connects two schools, a heritage centre and more than 2000 people. The total contract value of the D4119 project is NAD 53 million financed by the Government of Namibia with co-financing from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), implemented through KfW Development Bank. The Namibian side contributed 40 % of construction costs, compensation and demining funds, while the German side carried the remainder of construction costs of NAD 31 million as well as the consulting costs of about NAD 7 million. The main contractor Eponga Trading CC was supported by two smaller companies, namely Inaguration Investment CC and Olavi&Hope Trading CC.

Increasing connectivity is high on the agenda for the Namibian Government, as mentioned in NDP6. The initiative to build rural roads with labour-based construction methods has been already introduced 30 years ago as a joint approach between the Namibian and German government. Over these years, more than 600 km have been built together and 200 km more to come with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), implemented through KfW Development Bank, and the Namibian Government through the Ministry of Works and Transport. The Roads Authority of Namibia, since its beginning, has been the implementing partner.

The technical approach to build these roads focuses on increasing local content. Till today, Namibian small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are trained in business and construction skills, and the contracts are structured to allow participation of small and upcoming companies under an experienced bigger contractor. Overall, all contracted firms are fully Namibian owned. By using labour-based construction techniques, direct involvement of surrounding communities is increased, allowing them to participate as task workers and receiving an income of the ongoing construction works in their vicinity.

The approach has demonstrated clear socio-economic benefits: it creates employment, transfers practical skills, and stimulates local economies. Studies have shown that such road projects lead to increased mobility, reduced travel times by up to 30%, improved access to services, and rising household incomes. More than 9,300 previously unskilled workers have already been employed since the beginning of the programme, receiving a total of over NAD 92 million in wages. Notably, around 30% of the workforce are women, contributing to greater gender inclusion and economic empowerment.

Since Namibia’s independence, KfW has been supporting the expansion of the national road network through grants for labour-based and access roads, as well as concessional loans for major transport corridors. In close cooperation with the Roads Authority, more than 1,700 km of roads (trunk, district and access) have been co-financed, contributing to Namibia’s objective of a well-functioning and efficient transport system linked to key economic hubs, including the Port of Walvis Bay.

With this partnership and the official inauguration of the D4119 road, we are pleased to see another important link successfully completed and brought into use.

Namibian German Development Cooperation

Overall, the total financial and technical support extended by Germany since 1990 exceeds EUR 1.6 billion (approximately NAD 32 billion). The KfW portfolio under current implementation comprises a total funding volume of approximately EUR 600 million (approximately NAD 12 billion), while future projects with a total funding volume of approximately EUR 32 million (approximately NAD 640 million) are under preparation.