STAFF WRITER
POPULAR Democratic Movement (PDM) youthful parliamentarian Inna Hengari is proposing deliberate measures to beef up earnings in Namibia’s underfunded creative industry to sustain and create jobs for young people.
Namibia faces a high unemployment challenge with over 50 percent of the youth groups failing to break into the job market.
Moving a motion in Parliament on Wednesday Hengari proposed the establishment of a Local Content Development Fund.
She says such a move will create a fund to provide grants, training, and technical support for content creation, ensuring a steady supply of high-quality local content tailored to Namibia’s small population.
She also called for broadcasters in Namibia to scale up their efforts in playing local music.
Hengari wants Namibia to commission a national study that will conduct a comprehensive study to measure the creative industry’s economic contributions, including jobs, GDP, and
export potential.
“Promoting local content offers transformative benefits. Economically, increased airtime for local music and programming will retain royalties within Namibia, empowering artists like Jackson Wahengo, Shishani, Big Ben Kandukira, Gazza, King Tee Dee, Top Cheri, Young T, Josie Kauandenge, and countless content creators.
“ This exposure boosts their visibility, expands
their fan base, and stimulates demand for production services, creating jobs for sound engineers, videographers, and writers. Culturally, prioritizing local
content fosters a vibrant media landscape that celebrates Namibian stories and traditions,” she said.
Hengari said Namibia with a population of 3 million people, faces unique challenges in scaling local content production.
“However, our small size is also an opportunity to create niche, high-value content that resonates both
domestically and globally. Recent government commitment, including a N$50 million allocation to the creative sector signals a promising step toward
empowering storytellers, musicians, and craftspeople, particularly in underserved regions. This investment provides a foundation for policies that amplify local talent,” she said.
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