WINDHOEK, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on Thursday said the country will provide free university education starting in 2026, as part of broader efforts to empower the youth and address unemployment.
Delivering her first State of the Nation Address (SONA), Nandi-Ndaitwah said the government will cover 100 percent of registration and tuition fees at all public universities and vocational training centers from 2026.
"While tertiary education in Namibia is already significantly subsidized, I am pleased to announce that from the next academic year, commencing 2026, tertiary education will become 100 percent subsidized by the government," she said.
The president also unveiled a 257 million Namibian dollars (about 13.7 million U.S. dollars) fund for targeted support to youth-owned informal and micro businesses.
Youth unemployment in Namibia stands at 44.4 percent, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency. Nandi-Ndaitwah said addressing unemployment remains one of the top priorities of the eighth administration.
A national youth internship and apprenticeship program will be rolled out this year to give young people work experience in both the public and private sectors.
Nandi-Ndaitwah also announced that 10,000 low-cost residential units will be built annually to address the country's housing backlog and improve living conditions in informal settlements.
Namibia will begin discussions this year on the development of a nuclear energy plant, she said, adding that the oil and gas sector has been moved under the Presidency to accelerate first oil production and support infrastructure development.
Thursday's SONA marked the first by Nandi-Ndaitwah since she assumed office as the country's fifth president in March.
