Making provision for Namibians to have a place to call home 

Jemimah Ndebele
National Housing Enterprise, commonly known as NHE, is state-owned company of the government under the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development established in 1993 and is in the core business of providing housing needs to low-and middle-income inhabitants of Namibia and financing of housing for such inhabitants.

The company is known for its famous slogan and promise of providing affordable and quality housing to Namibians in the low and middle income groups. The National Housing Enterprise strives to promote home-ownership by being a customer-driven institution that provides housing solutions in order to alleviate the national housing need and does so through land acquisition from local authorities or municipalities and town councils, housing construction and through the provision of housing loans.

The company has established its national footprint through the five branches across the country, namely in Windhoek Katutura Branch, Rundu, Keetmanshoop, Oshakati and Walvis Bay with their headquarters located in Eros, Windhoek.

Furthermore, the company has implemented a number of projects to carry out the mandate derived from NHE Act No 5 of 1993. Projects include Karibib,Keetmanshoop, Omuthiya,Okahao,Okakarara,Otjiwarongo,Outapi and Oshakati.

More recently, as part of the Informal Settlement Upgrading project initiated by the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Hon. Erastus Uutoni, the National Housing Enterprise together with partners such as the City of Windhoek, Ministry of Urban Development and Khomas Regional Council handed over 380 houses in Windhoek.

The company is proud to bring joy to so many first-time home owners. “When I started working and moved to a different town as a result of work, I thought I would never be able to afford a decent home for my daughter and I but as a result of one of the projects NHE carried out in Omuthiya, I was able to afford a quality two bedroom home," said Rosemary De Klerk, one of the recipients of company's housing projects.

Additionally, the company brings about development and builds communities that ultimately leads to the building of a nation. "Our unique selling point is the affordable prices and the joy we create in our clients’ hearts. Most importantly, home ownership ensures security of tenure, which means guaranteed ownership of the land," NHE Chief Executive Officer, Gisbertus Mukulu said.

The company with a staff complement of 126 employees plans to continue providing and financing affordable, quality and adequate housing thereby contributing to Namibia’s socio-economic development and creating a stable, progressive human habitat’. “In the coming years we hope to roll out more housing initiatives for the low to medium income groups, mobilize adequate funding to increase NHE’s foot print across Namibia. Our aim is to keep providing affordable and quality homes so that more Namibians can have a place to call home,” Mukulu furthered.

In regards to corporate social responsibility, the company occasionally lends a hand in the communities it operates. In March NHE sponsored the training project of evicted Otweya residents for a period of 3 months. Participants included people living with disabilities and unemployed community residents of Walvis Bay. This followed after the tragic fire incident in Twaloloka informal settlement in Walvis Bay. The company also recognises top performers in the fields of Rural and Regional Development at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) through sponsorship of academic awards and the provision of graduate programs and internships.