By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Namibia’s Ministry of
Information and Communication Technology (MICT) and the Ministry of Education,
Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture (MEIYSAC) have signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening the country’s arts and creative
industries.
The agreement, signed on
August 17, 2026, seeks to establish stronger government collaboration in
developing a commercially viable creative sector capable of contributing to
economic growth, employment and national identity.
Speaking at the signing
ceremony, Minister of Information and Communication Technology Emma Theofelus
said the partnership reflects Government’s commitment to treating creativity as
an economic resource rather than solely as a form of entertainment.
She said Namibia’s creative
industries have the potential to create jobs, generate income and promote the
country’s stories and cultural identity to international audiences.
Minister of Education,
Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture Dr Sanet Steenkamp said the
agreement would contribute to creating an enabling environment for the sector’s
development.
According to Steenkamp, the
creative economy offers opportunities for employment, skills development,
entrepreneurship and innovation while contributing to broader economic growth.
A key component of the
partnership is the implementation of the Namibia Content Creation Plan, which
includes the production of a national soap opera, two limited television series
and 14 regional short films.
The plan also provides for
improved access to film production equipment to support local creators and
strengthen capacity across Namibia’s creative value chain.
The Local Content Plan is
backed by N$17.5 million from the Government’s N$50 million allocation for
Creative Industries programmes. It is expected to generate approximately 470
direct employment opportunities across the sector.
The two ministries said the
partnership represents an important step towards developing a skilled,
commercially sustainable and globally competitive Namibian creative industry.
The initiative is also
expected to create more opportunities for local talent while strengthening the
production and distribution of content that reflects Namibia’s culture,
experiences and identity.
