The Roads Authority has outlined an ambitious programme to rehabilitate and upgrade some of Namibia’s busiest transport corridors at an estimated cost of more than N$155 billion if all the projects are eventually developed into dual carriageways.
The investment programme covers key national highways linking Windhoek with the central, northern and coastal regions and aims to improve road safety, accommodate growing traffic volumes and support economic development.
According to the Roads Authority, the proposed upgrades range from more affordable 2+1 carriageway designs to full dual carriageways, with several projects already in the planning and design stages.
The single largest project is the proposed 82-kilometre Windhoek-Rehoboth (T0105) dual carriageway, estimated to cost N$12.8 billion, for which the design has already been completed.
Another major undertaking is the 173-kilometre Okahandja-Otjiwarongo (T0107) corridor. While the authority estimates a 2+1 carriageway would cost N$3.2 billion, converting the route into a full dual carriageway would require approximately N$27.1 billion. Partial design work covering 18.5 kilometres has already been completed.
North of Otjiwarongo, the 118-kilometre Otjiwarongo-Otavi (T0108) section is expected to cost N$2.2 billion as a 2+1 carriageway or N$18.5 billion as a dual carriageway, with design work scheduled to begin in 2027.
The 61-kilometre Otavi-Tsumeb (T0109) corridor carries an estimated 1,732 vehicles per day, including 652 heavy vehicles, meaning trucks account for 38% of total traffic. The project is estimated at N$1.1 billion for a 2+1 carriageway or N$9.5 billion for a dual carriageway, with design expected to commence this year.
On the coast, the Roads Authority plans to upgrade the 48-kilometre Swakopmund-Arandis (T0202) road at an estimated N$879 million for a 2+1 carriageway or N$7.5 billion for a dual carriageway. The corridor carries around 3,915 vehicles daily, including 1,054 heavy vehicles, representing 27% of total traffic. Design work is expected to begin during 2026.
The adjoining 89-kilometre Arandis-Usakos section would require N$1.6 billion for a 2+1 carriageway or N$13.9 billion for a dual carriageway. Design work has already been completed.
The authority also plans improvements on the 132-kilometre Omaruru-Otjiwarongo (T0204) corridor, estimated at N$2.4 billion for a 2+1 carriageway and N$20.6 billion for a dual carriageway. The road currently carries approximately 986 vehicles per day, of which 362 are heavy, representing 37% of traffic.
In the north-east, the 89-kilometre Grootfontein-Mururani (T0802) road is estimated to cost N$2.3 billion as a 2+1 carriageway or N$20 billion as a dual carriageway. The corridor records about 665 vehicles daily, with 310 heavy vehicles, meaning trucks account for 47% of traffic.
The adjoining 131-kilometre Mururani-Rundu (T0803) section carries similar traffic volumes and is estimated to cost N$2.4 billion for a 2+1 carriageway or N$20.5 billion for a dual carriageway.
Collectively, the Roads Authority estimates that constructing all nine projects as 2+1 carriageways would require about N$28.9 billion. Upgrading the same corridors to full dual carriageways would increase the investment requirement to approximately N$150.4 billion, while the inclusion of the already costed Windhoek-Rehoboth dual carriageway brings the total programme to about N$163.2 billion.
The authority said the programme is intended to improve safety and efficiency on some of Namibia’s busiest freight and passenger corridors but acknowledged that implementation faces several obstacles, including limited funding, project prioritisation, road user behaviour, inadequate enforcement, manual weighbridge processes, limited human resources and insufficient pedestrian facilities.
To address these challenges, the Roads Authority plans to focus on project preparation and funding mobilisation, road safety audits, intersection upgrades, improved lighting on major urban roads, construction of pedestrian bridges, deployment of speed-over-distance enforcement technology, automation of weighbridges and greater use of digital law enforcement systems.
