The Minister of Finance says the national budget is not merely a statement of numbers but an instrument of fiscal reform which advances disciplined consolidation anchored on primary budget balance.

The debate on the appropriation bill is now set to proceed to the committee stage.

The budget now moves to the Committee Stage, where the National Assembly reviews the appropriation bill in detail, examining vote by vote, and votes on the budgetary allocations for each ministry.

Erica Shafudah emphasised the introduction of an outcome-based budgeting approach to ensure that every Namibian dollar delivers value for all Namibians.

She also stated that the budget does not introduce broad-based tax increases but rather focuses on protecting revenue stability while avoiding additional pressure on households and businesses during this economic recovery.

"We have indicated that the allocation to the development budget is not only what is reflected from the inside revenue fund, which is N$6.5 billion; this is complemented by the grants, by loans, and by the support that will be provided by NHE in terms of housing, infrastructure, and road fund administration in terms of road infrastructure."

Concerns were also raised about public debt, with MPs suggesting that loaned funds should be utilised for development purposes rather than operational costs.

"The government agrees that debt must be managed prudently and transparently. We also want to indicate that when we look at the debt, we should not only look at the debt as a result of GDP, but we should also look at other components like the structure of the debt, which remains largely domestic, and the medium-term trajectory, which is anchored on improving the primary balance."

The minister stated that the government remains open to continued engagement and oversight in order to implement this budget in the collective interest of all Namibian citizens.