Investment Policy Monitor
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The Investment Policy Monitor provides the international investment community with up-to-date, country-specific information on recent policy developments affecting foreign direct investment (FDI).
Through its ongoing monitoring of investment policy changes, UNCTAD delivers cutting-edge and forward-looking contributions to investment policy discourse. The Monitor also supports evidence-based policymaking aimed at ensuring that foreign investment contributes to sustainable development. The Monitor also informs the analysis of global and regional investment policy trends featured in the World Investment Report, the Investment Policy Monitor publications and the joint UNCTAD-OECD Reports on G20 Investment Measures.
UNCTAD has tracked changes in national policies affecting FDI on an annual basis since 1992. Over time, the methodology has been revised to enhance the quality and consistency of reporting. The most recent revision, completed in 2024, further refined the monitoring framework and applied the updated classification to policy measures dating back to 2012.
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UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor The UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor database compiles official measures affecting FDI adopted by United Nations Member States. These encompass measures explicitly targeting foreign investment (FDI-specific), as well as general investment measures that have a clear impact on such investment (FDI-related).
The measures are either reported directly to UNCTAD by Member States through annual surveys or identified by UNCTAD researchers through publicly accessible sources (such as government websites and specialized policy databases).
The classification of measures as more or less favourable to investors is based solely on their potential impact on investors. The type of measures included in each category are described below. This classification does not reflect any value judgement by UNCTAD on the merit or suitability of the measure.
Classification of the nature of measures
More favourable to investors
Liberalization: includes privatization; lifting of entry restrictions (e.g. opening of sectors to FDI) and entry conditions (e.g. minimum capital requirement); removal (total or partial) of FDI screening or approval mechanisms; lifting of foreign exchange restrictions; liberalization of land access.
Facilitation: includes streamlining of investment procedures (e.g. one-stop shops); greater transparency of investment-related laws and procedures (e.g. information portals); introduction by IPAs and other entities of new services to assist investors (e.g. linkages programmes, investor visa facilitation or alternative dispute resolution mechanisms).
Promotion: includes establishment of IPAs or other institutions with a remit as investment promoters and expansion of their mandate; adoption of investment promotion strategy and plans; introduction of PPPs, auctions, and concessions initiatives or framework; introduction of OFDI promotion initiatives.
Incentives: includes adoption of new tax and financial incentives schemes for investment; introduction of other incentives (e.g. citizenship by investment programmes); adoption of new SEZ-related incentives.
Other regulatory changes: includes enhancement of investor treatment and protection guarantees; easing of labour or migration regulations concerning foreign hires and key personnel; removal of operational restrictions on investment (e.g. local content requirements).
Less favourable to investors
Entry: includes introduction or tightening of entry restrictions (e.g. total or partial ban on FDI in specific sectors); introduction or tightening of entry conditions (e.g. minimum investment threshold, joint venture requirements or State participation in strategic sectors); introduction or expansion of screening mechanisms for national security.
Treatment and operation: includes introduction or expansion of foreign exchange restrictions; introduction or expansion of restrictions on foreign hires and key personnel; removal or reduction of investment incentives; introduction or expansion of post-establishment requirements for local content; reduction of guarantees for investment treatment and protection; introduction or expansion of restrictions on OFDI.
Note: Measures are verified, to the fullest extent possible, by referencing government sources. The compilation of measures is not exhaustive.
Disclaimer: the boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
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Investment Policy Measures
11 results
Namibia
28 Feb 2024Reduces corporate taxes and introduces new fiscal incentives
On 28 February 2024, Namibia released its Budget for the 2024/25 fiscal year, which includes significant changes to the corporate tax structure. The non-mining corporate tax rate will be lowered to 31 per cent from 1 January 2024, [...]
Namibia
22 Feb 2023Reduces corporate income tax for non-mining companies
On 22 February 2023, the Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises presented the 2023/24 Budget to Parliament, where he confirmed that the non-mining company tax rate would be reduced by two percentage points over the next two year. [...]
Namibia
23 Aug 2022Adopts a national policy on special economic zones
On 23 August 2022, Namibia adopted a Special Economic Zone Policy (SEZ Policy). The Policy includes a provision for both fiscal and non-fiscal investment incentives for various investment categories such as exporters and manufacturers. [...]
Namibia
01 Apr 202115% stake in new mines reserved for Namibians
From 1 April 2021, all applications for a mining licence in Namibia must have 15% local owners. According to the Ministry all “applications by Namibian nationals for the transfer, cessation and assignment of mineral licences to foreign [...]
Namibia
22 Jun 2020Law to remove tax incentives for manufacturers passed
An amendment to section 5A of the Income Tax Act, adopted on 22 June 2020, scrapped benefits granted to manufacturers, including a reduced tax rate of 18%, as well as other tax incentives. Manufacturers were also given a 10-year capital [...]
Namibia
20 Jun 2020Repeal of various tax incentives for manufacturing
Through amendments to the Income Tax Act published on 8 June 2020, the Government repealed various tax incentives previously granted to manufacturers, EPZs entities, and for goods manufactured in the EPZs, including the special tax [...]
Namibia
23 May 2019Government orders official bodies to buy local
On 23 May 2019, the Finance Minister issued a Procurement Directive on the reservation of procurement of goods, services and works to local suppliers in terms of Section 73 of the Public Procurement Act. The Directive bans all public [...]
Namibia
26 Oct 2018Scraping of black ownership rules for mining exploration licences
Namibia scrapped in October 2018 a requirement for companies seeking mining exploration licences to be partly owned and managed by black Namibians. The policy was introduced in 2015 to increase the participation of historically disadvantaged [...]
Namibia
14 Jul 2017Promulgation of Public Private Partnership Act, 2017
The Public Private Partnership (PPP) Act 2017, which came into operation on 14 July 2017, provides a legal framework for PPP projects; establishes the PPP Committee; regulates PPP projects through the stages of initiation, preparation, [...]
Namibia
16 Aug 2016Investment Act approved
The new Investment Act was signed by the President on 16 August 2016. The Act provides for the reservation of certain business activities such as hairdressing, street vending, retail, take-away businesses and beauty salons for Namibians. [...]
Namibia
01 Nov 2010Adopts Banking Institutions Amendment Act
In November 2010 Namibia amended its Banking Institutions Act of 1998 to, inter alia, regulate investment by "controlling companies" and the restructuring within groups of companies. It also authorises foreign banking institutions [...]
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The Investment Policy Monitor provides the international investment community with up-to-date, country-specific information on recent policy developments affecting foreign direct investment (FDI).
Through its ongoing monitoring of investment policy changes, UNCTAD delivers cutting-edge and forward-looking contributions to investment policy discourse. The Monitor also supports evidence-based policymaking aimed at ensuring that foreign investment contributes to sustainable development. The Monitor also informs the analysis of global and regional investment policy trends featured in the World Investment Report, the Investment Policy Monitor publications and the joint UNCTAD-OECD Reports on G20 Investment Measures.
UNCTAD has tracked changes in national policies affecting FDI on an annual basis since 1992. Over time, the methodology has been revised to enhance the quality and consistency of reporting. The most recent revision, completed in 2024, further refined the monitoring framework and applied the updated classification to policy measures dating back to 2012.
-
UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor The UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor database compiles official measures affecting FDI adopted by United Nations Member States. These encompass measures explicitly targeting foreign investment (FDI-specific), as well as general investment measures that have a clear impact on such investment (FDI-related).
The measures are either reported directly to UNCTAD by Member States through annual surveys or identified by UNCTAD researchers through publicly accessible sources (such as government websites and specialized policy databases).
The classification of measures as more or less favourable to investors is based solely on their potential impact on investors. The type of measures included in each category are described below. This classification does not reflect any value judgement by UNCTAD on the merit or suitability of the measure.
Classification of the nature of measures
More favourable to investors
Liberalization: includes privatization; lifting of entry restrictions (e.g. opening of sectors to FDI) and entry conditions (e.g. minimum capital requirement); removal (total or partial) of FDI screening or approval mechanisms; lifting of foreign exchange restrictions; liberalization of land access.
Facilitation: includes streamlining of investment procedures (e.g. one-stop shops); greater transparency of investment-related laws and procedures (e.g. information portals); introduction by IPAs and other entities of new services to assist investors (e.g. linkages programmes, investor visa facilitation or alternative dispute resolution mechanisms).
Promotion: includes establishment of IPAs or other institutions with a remit as investment promoters and expansion of their mandate; adoption of investment promotion strategy and plans; introduction of PPPs, auctions, and concessions initiatives or framework; introduction of OFDI promotion initiatives.
Incentives: includes adoption of new tax and financial incentives schemes for investment; introduction of other incentives (e.g. citizenship by investment programmes); adoption of new SEZ-related incentives.
Other regulatory changes: includes enhancement of investor treatment and protection guarantees; easing of labour or migration regulations concerning foreign hires and key personnel; removal of operational restrictions on investment (e.g. local content requirements).
Less favourable to investors
Entry: includes introduction or tightening of entry restrictions (e.g. total or partial ban on FDI in specific sectors); introduction or tightening of entry conditions (e.g. minimum investment threshold, joint venture requirements or State participation in strategic sectors); introduction or expansion of screening mechanisms for national security.
Treatment and operation: includes introduction or expansion of foreign exchange restrictions; introduction or expansion of restrictions on foreign hires and key personnel; removal or reduction of investment incentives; introduction or expansion of post-establishment requirements for local content; reduction of guarantees for investment treatment and protection; introduction or expansion of restrictions on OFDI.
Note: Measures are verified, to the fullest extent possible, by referencing government sources. The compilation of measures is not exhaustive.
Disclaimer: the boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
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