By Michael Uugwanga
The City of Windhoek (CoW) says it remains confident that the renovation of the Sam Nujoma Stadium will be completed within schedule, despite growing public concern over what appears to be slow and inconsistent progress on site.
In recent weeks, questions have been raised about the pace of work at the Katutura stadium, with some reports pointing to days where little or no visible activity is taking place, especially over weekends and public holidays.
This has fuelled uncertainty among football fans who have long waited for the venue’s return to full use.
Still, the CoW insists the project has not stalled.
The stadium is currently being refurbished by New Success Investments, a local company awarded the tender about eight months ago.
The work involves repairing and upgrading key structural elements, as well as modernising the facility to meet Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA standards for international matches.
Phase one of the project is valued at N$13 million and is expected to be completed by October this year. The overall renovation is expected to take about a year, with total costs projected to rise to around N$60 million.
The upgrade is seen as a crucial step in bringing international football back to Windhoek.
The stadium was declared unfit to host international matches in 2021, forcing Namibia’s national teams to play their “home” fixtures in neighbouring countries such as South Africa and Botswana.
That situation has been felt not only at national team level, but also in club football.
Top Namibian sides competing in CAF tournaments, including African Stars and Eeshoke Chula Chula, are expected to continue hosting home matches abroad unless local stadiums are approved in time.
For many supporters, the absence of a proper home ground has been frustrating, especially as “home” matches are played far away from local fans.
The Independence Stadium, Namibia’s other main venue, is also currently unavailable for international football and is still awaiting long-promised renovations, leaving the country without a certified stadium.
Responding to concerns about the project, CoW spokesperson Lydia Amutenya dismissed claims that work has stopped.
“The City of Windhoek can confirm that this information is incorrect. Construction activities have not stopped and work continues on site. Renovation works are actively progressing as planned,” she said.
She added that the contractor re- mains fully on site and the project is moving according to schedule, with completion still set for 2 October 2026.
“The project is not at a standstill. Construction is progressing as planned and remains on track for completion on 2 October 2026, in line with the original contractual timeline. Any changes will be communicated accordingly,” she said.
While officials remain confident, many football followers will continue watching closely, hoping the long-promised return of a fully functional home stadium finally becomes reality.
