Namibia targets 1,000km rail upgrade by 2026/27 with N$952.1 million allocation
The Namibian government plans to upgrade 1,000 kilometers of its railway infrastructure by the 2026/27 financial year, allocating N$952.1 million towards modernizing the national rail network. This railway program is the largest allocation under the Ministry of Works and Transport's transport infrastructure initiatives, surpassing the N$771.4 million designated for road infrastructure. Moses Matatias, the ministry's director for administration, stated that railway development is a flagship program aimed at upgrading and maintaining the network through TransNamib and implementing the Railway Master Plan. Of the N$952.1 million, N$946 million is for development activities, with N$6.1 million for operational expenditure. The target for upgraded railway infrastructure increases to 1,360 kilometers by 2028/29, alongside annual maintenance of 1,600 kilometers of railway lines. Rail investment is projected to rise to N$1.17 billion in 2027/28 before decreasing to N$1.08 billion in 2028/29. The government also aims to complete 28% of the Railway Master Plan and review 80% of primary railway legislation. This rail investment is part of approximately N$1.72 billion allocated to road and railway infrastructure programs in the current financial year. The road program includes upgrading 2,300 kilometers of gravel roads to bitumen standard and rehabilitating 725 kilometers of roads by 2026/27, along with plans for a weighbridge, a vehicle registration center, and road safety interventions.
