Swakopmund: The Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Namibia Airports Company (NAC) have jointly invested N.dollars 2 million to host this year's State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Games, Annual General Meeting (AGM), and gala dinner, set to take place in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the NCAA and NAC each contributed N.dollars 1 million, which will cover two major components: the sports games for SOE employees and the gala dinner alongside the AGM. An additional N.dollars 500,000 has been earmarked for a corporate social investment initiative targeting the education sector, with the beneficiary schools to be announced during the AGM.

In an interview with the media on Tuesday, NCAA Manager for Stakeholder Engagement and Corporate Communication, Nelson Ashipala, said the event is expected to attract 63 SOEs, bringing the total number of delegates to around 120 for the AGM, with an equal number anticipated for the gala dinner. The teams are expected to participate in eight sporting codes.

'This is one of the biggest gatherings of SOE leaders, not only to celebrate unity through sport but also to hold each other accountable on corporate governance. It provides a platform to share best practices, discuss challenges such as delayed annual reports, and highlight what makes some SOEs profitable and sustainable,' Ashipala explained.

The event is also expected to have a strong economic impact on the Erongo Region, with accommodation in Swakopmund already spilling over into Walvis Bay and surrounding towns. Close to 100 vendors are expected to benefit, including food suppliers, entertainment performers, and service providers producing sports gear.

For the first time, the SOE Games will be open to the public free of charge, a decision made to allow communities to witness how public funds are utilised and to support participating teams. 'Many of the players are employees who serve the public daily. We want the community to cheer them on, interact with SOEs, and see where their taxes go,' Ashipala added, noting that safety and logistics will be coordinated by the event's sports committee. The AGM will also symbolically pass the sponsorship baton to the next host SOE.