President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has pleaded for patience with pensioners in response to the government not prioritising an increase in their grants for the 2025/2026 financial year.

Currently, the Old-Age Grant is N$1,600, following an increase of N$200 in 2024.

President Nandi-Ndaitwah says for the current financial year, the government had to make other significant allocations to programs focussing on youth empowerment, although it was not easy.

She says such initiatives are aimed at empowering young people to be better placed to take care of the elderly as well as to contribute to economic development.

President Nandi-Ndaitwah was speaking during a courtesy meeting with the visiting president-elect of the International Olympic Committee, Kirsty Coventry, at State House on Saturday.