Lahja Nashuuta
Popular Democratic Movement member of Parliament Inna Hengari is advocating for a reform in broadcasting regulation to address what she describes as a “deeply concerning imbalance” in the country’s media landscape, where foreign music and programming dominate the airwaves.
In a motion presented to Parliament, Hengari revealed that about 80% of the music played on local radio is sourced from outside Namibia. This heavy reliance on foreign material, she warned, not only sidelines Namibian creatives but also results in significant revenue leaving the country, limiting economic growth in the creative sector.
“Our broadcasting landscape risks becoming homogenised, with Namibian stories, languages, and traditions sidelined in favour of foreign narratives,” Hengari said. She stressed that “This is a missed opportunity for job creation and cultural preservation.”
Hengari acknowledged the challenges posed by Namibia’s relatively small population of three million but highlighted this as a chance to develop specialised, high-quality content that could appeal locally and internationally.
She praised the government’s recent N$50 million allocation to the creative industry as a step in the right direction.
Central to her proposal is the creation of a Local Content Development Fund. In her view, the fund could provide financial support, training and technical assistance to local artists and producers, helping them overcome barriers to creating competitive content.
“It would also back efforts to distribute Namibian music, films and television programmes on digital platforms like YouTube and Spotify,” she said.
Cementing her argument, Hengari said currently, Namibia’s local content regulations are limited and inconsistently enforced. While radio stations must play at least 15% local music, commercial TV channels and 10% local programming, these requirements exclude subscription broadcasters and the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).
Moreover, regulatory language around “reasonable efforts” to promote local content lacks clarity, resulting in uneven application.
Hengari proposed clearer rules, stronger monitoring and a national study to measure the creative sector’s contribution to jobs, GDP and exports. She also called for greater stakeholder engagement to ensure policies reflect the realities of Namibian artists and audiences.
Highlighting success stories, Hengari pointed to collaborations between local musicians and corporate brands, as well as efforts by Namibia Wildlife Resorts to incorporate local talent into tourism campaigns.
“Namibia’s creative sector holds vast potential not just culturally, but economically,” she said. She added that “By investing in local content, we can keep royalties in the country, create jobs and amplify our unique cultural heritage”.
The motion is set to be referred to the parliamentary standing committee for further examination and action.