Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA), in partnership with the Namibia Development Foundation (NAMDEF), is set to officially launch the Tobacco Tax Advocacy Project in Namibia at a high-level kick-off meeting in Windhoek, Namibia, from 19–21 May 2026.
The meeting will convene key stakeholders from government, policymakers, tax administrators, health officials, civil society organisations (CSOs), academia, and development partners to officially launch the TTAA project in Namibia.
It will provide a platform for dialogue on tobacco taxation, tobacco control, domestic resource mobilisation, and multi-sector coordination in advancing public health outcomes.
The Tobacco Tax Advocacy Project, a flagship initiative of TJNA across Africa, supports governments and stakeholders in designing and implementing effective tobacco tax policies that both reduce consumption and increase public revenues.
Its expansion into Namibia marks a significant step towards strengthening health taxes as part of the country’s broader development agenda. Namibia offers a strong opportunity for reform. Although tobacco taxes account for approximately 50.6 per cent of the retail price of cigarettes, this remains below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended benchmark of 75 per cent, indicating scope for further policy enhancement. At the same time, tobacco use continues to pose a public health concern, contributing to the rising burden of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular illnesses, and respiratory conditions.
The kick-off meeting will serve as a high-level policy dialogue platform, enabling stakeholders to review Namibia’s current tobacco taxation framework and identify key policy and implementation gaps. It will also build consensus on tobacco taxation as a sustainable health financing mechanism, strengthen cross-sector collaboration, and develop a coordinated national advocacy roadmap.
The meeting will also focus on strengthening civil society's role in tobacco control. Namibia currently faces challenges related to limited coordination and resourcing among CSOs, which are essential to supporting policy implementation, advocacy, and accountability.
The launch comes at a critical time, as many African countries face mounting pressure on national budgets from declining external aid, rising debt obligations, and growing health-sector demands. Tobacco taxation offers a practical, evidence-based solution, providing predictable revenue while reducing the consumption of harmful products.
For Namibia, strengthening tobacco tax policy offers a strategic opportunity to expand fiscal space for health, reduce long-term healthcare costs, and align with international commitments, including the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
The project also aims to support ongoing efforts to operationalise Namibia’s Tobacco Products Control Fund. This includes providing technical assistance to finalise legal and regulatory frameworks, to design sustainable financing mechanisms, including potential earmarking of excise revenues, and to establish strong governance and monitoring systems.
NAMDEF’s involvement brings critical national expertise, particularly in community mobilisation, policy engagement, and institutional coordination, ensuring the initiative is firmly grounded in Namibia’s development context.
TJNA seeks to build a strong and coordinated tobacco tax advocacy community capable of driving sustained policy reform.
For more information, please contact John Thomi at jthomi[@]taxjusticeafrica.net
